Earls Quarter impresses on his hurdling debut

WILLIE Mullins took the training honours is Sligo last night, completing a fine treble with Earls Qaurter, both ridden by champion jockey Paul Townend and Pickapocketortwo partnered by the trainer’s son Patrick.

Making his hurdling debut, Earls Quarter got the night off to the perfect start for the Mullins camp when readily breezing past Acclaimed Piper on the run-in to land the jogforjickeys.ie Maiden Hurdle comfortably by three lengths.

Winning owner Brendan Doyle said: “The form of his bumper run in Cork has worked out tremendously well and he improved for it. Paul said he jumped brilliantly, that he has a fantastic technique. He’ll go for a winners’ race on good ground but he has always been a chaser in the making.”