Three out of three for super Walsh
Runner-up in his only start in France, Ut De Sivola justified strong support on his Irish debut in the Powerstown 3-Y-0 Maiden Hurdle, forging clear of Bat Masterson on the run-in to triumph emphatically by seven and a half lengths.
Well-backed in the morning and sent off a red-hot 4/11 favourite, Ut De Sivola, in the colours of Philip Reynolds, delighted Mullins, who explained: “There’s nothing flashy about him — he’s just reallyworkmanlike. He jumps nicely and always shows at home he’s a strong sort, with more left in the tank. So I think he’s going to improve.”
He added: “He had a fair hard race today, so we’ll have to see how he is before making plans for him. And we could skip Christmas !”
A 151-rated hurdler Blackstairmountain looked a cut above his rivals on his chasing bow in the Clonmel Racecourse Supporters Club Beginners Chase. And Ruby rode the six-year-old accordingly, and in the knowledge he flattered todeceive twice over hurdles at Fairyhouse. Blackstairmountain jumped well, with the exception of the second last, as Ruby tracked the leaders. And, even between the last two fences, he was in no hurry to ask his mount challenge leader Shane Rock.
Safely over the last,Blackstairmountain cruised past that rival to win easily, by three lengths from 100/1 shot Marble House, which came home well to fill the runner-up berth.
“But for the second last, he seems to have taken to jumping fences well,” said Mullins of Mrs Susannah Ricci’s gelding. “We’ll try to find a winners race for him and we’ll stick around that trip. He has a grade 1 entry at Christmas, but we’ll see how he comes out of this first.”
Allee Garde, which completed the Mullins/Walsh treble, has always looked an exciting prospect as astaying chaser and made a successful start over the bigger obstacles in the Kilsheelan Beginners Chase.
Sent into the lead after the fourth fence, Allee Garde jumped soundly in front and, pressed by Son Amix in the straight, kept going well to score by two lengths, the pair stretching27 lengths clear of third-placedDariak.
“He seems a natural chaser,” said a delighted Mullins. “And he’ll have no problem going out in trip to three miles. He’ll run in all the top staying races for novices. On pedigree, heavy ground should be what he needs. But he’s such a good mover that he should handle good ground in the spring.”
