Monty bolts up under mandatory penalty

WILLIE Mullins and Ruby Walsh shared a double with Scholar’s Mate and Our Monty in the two handicap hurdles at Punchestown yesterday.

Our Monty, raised 19lb. by the handicapper after a smooth success at Limerick on Sunday and racing here with only a 6lb. mandatory penalty, justified red-hot favouritism in the 2010 Five Day Festival Handicap Hurdle.

Ridden with supreme confidence by Ruby, the 4/7 shot cruised through to chase Aladdins Cave turning for home. But, just as the possibility of Matt O’Connor riding a winner on his comeback ride (after a serious head injury) dawned on observers, the favourite challenged on the inside and, full of running, was soon in command before going away to beat Dafarabad by four and a half lengths.