Tempo blazes to Plate victory
The rapidly improving mare was on offer as high as 16-1 ante-post and at 10-1 in the morning.
On track the money continued to tumble on the seven-year-old and she was hammered from 7-1 to 5-1 favourite.
Given a majestic drive by Townend, she found terrific reserves of stamina in the closing stages to power past Wise Old Owl and score by a hard-earned length and a quarter.
One could only admire champion jockey Townend. He only returned to action here on Monday, having been on the injured list since the Punchestown festival in early May.
To make matters worse, he suffered a fall yesterday morning on Mullins’ gallops.
“I had a minor mishap, but was grand”, he smiled. “This is a great kick-start to the rest of the year.
“She really put her head down and battled. She was spot-on and everything went my way through the race. I kept out of trouble.”
Townend, a rare talent, was almost frighteningly cool, riding what can only be described as the perfect race.
Heading to the penultimate obstacle last year’s winner, Finger Onthe Pulse, held the call.
But he was soon beaten and it was another of J P McManus’, Wise Old Owl, who landed in front at the final fence.
He then skipped nicely clear and now, for the first time, Townend revealed his hand. He set off in hot pursuit and, momentarily, appeared to face a difficult task.
But riders at the very top of their profession nearly always get the timing right and that was very much the case.
Gradually, Blazing Tempo closed down the leader, but it was well into the last furlong before she finally got on top.
And so this was the day when Willie Mullins, who has won so many big races in a great career, finally broke his duck in the Plate.
“I’m delighted for Paul, for myself and Mr Ricci (owner)”, said Mullins “This is an iconic race and one I have always wanted to win.
“All three of my horses have run well (Hampshire Express was fourth and Scotsirish fifth). I didn’t run them in any of the trials and that seems to have worked.
“She (Blazing Tempo) had a great chance on her second at Punchestown (to Wishfull Thinking) and that was a hell of a run.
“We were schooling a few horses at home this morning and I couldn’t believe it when I saw Paul on the ground, but he was fine. My three could now head to Listowel and the Kerry National.”
Blazing Tempo was the first mare to win the Plate since Boro Quarter in 1986. She was, of course, trained by Mullins’ late father, Paddy.
Bahrain Storm, who was dislodged as favourite by the weight of money for the winner, had a bit to do when falling five out.
Dermot Weld’s strongly fancied Majestic Concorde collided with Dancing Tornado at the eighth and had no chance afterwards.
Eoin Griffin’s Lucky Wish, who was beaten at the time, took a fatal fall at the last.
Weld’s Galileo’s Choice, available as high as 5-4 in the morning, was a big order for the Tote Pick Six Maiden Hurdle and duly justified a returned price of 4-6.
He travelled and jumped beautifully through the contest, but in the end had to get the full Robbie McNamara treatment to beat Drumfire by a neck.
The runner-up jumped ahead three out, but Galileo’s Choice went past before the final flight, looking set for a comfortable success.
But the five-year-old didn’t find as much as he threatened to do and was all out close home to hold the renewed challenge of the runner-up.
“He just got tired and will be much shaper the next day’, reported Weld. “A winners’ of one at Listowel would be the logical race for him.”
Weld then proceeded to add two more to take his total for the week to seven, right on target to threaten his previous best at the meeting of eleven set last year.
His Maunsells Duke got in as first reserve, in the Tote Daily Double Handicap, and was far too good for the opposition.
Ridden superbly by Pat Smullen, he came from off the pace to sweep ahead a furlong down and score going away by three lengths.
Said Weld: “He disappointed us at Killarney and we decided on a change of tactics. Pat was very good on him.
“We dropped the horse out at the rear, they went very fast and he came home well.”
The treble was completed when long odds-on Font Of Wisdom enjoyed little more than an exercise canter to take the Tote Return All Profits To Irish Racing Maiden.
Smullen - this was his sixth of the meeting - eased him ahead heading to the final turn and Font Of Wisdom lengthened five lengths clear of Jolie Jioconde.
“He was very backward, but is improving”, reported Weld. “He will now go for a winners’ of one and, hopefully, make into a Listed horse later in the year.”
