Mixed day for Mullins followers
So Young, sent off at 1/3, made all to complete a seasonal hat-trick and initiate the Mullins/Walsh double in the Follow Navan On Facebook Hurdle.
The classy six-year-old dictated the pace and, after only serious rival Trifolium ‘missed’ the second last, forged clear to triumph by seven and a half lengths, prompting his trainer to comment: “Ruby wasn’t afraid to make the pace and he did it well from the front. He jumped well in front and has lots of stamina. I think his best trip is way beyond that (two miles).”
When quizzed about plans for So Young, he replied: “He might come back here for the Boyne Hurdle (two miles and five furlongs) next month and will get an entry in both the World Hurdle and Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham — there are no other races for him there! He would be competitive in a fast-run two-miler, but I have no doubt that his future lies over staying distances, two and a half miles plus.”
Paddy Power offer 12/1 about So Young for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle while Stan James go 20/1 and, for the Champion Hurdle, Power’s 33/1 is overshadowed by Stan James’ offer of 50/1.
Earlier, Terminal, winner of three bumpers in France before joining Mullins, made a successful Irish hurdling debut in the opening 2012 Navan Membership Maiden Hurdle, justifying 4/7 favouritism.
In front from the fourth, the five-year-old, in the colours of the Favourites Racing Syndicate, was driven clear on the run-in to beat Hidden Future by almost three lengths, pleasing Mullins, who commented: “He’s a nice recruit. There wasn’t much pace and he was bit keen. He stays well and I was pleased with how much he found from the last and the way he jumped. We’ll look for a novice for him and we’ll see how much improvement he finds when he’s upped in grade.”
Stan James make Terminal a 20/1 shot for the Supreme Novices Hurdle and 16/1 for the Neptune Investments Novice Hurdle.
The Mullins roll ended when even-money favourite Are Ye Right Chief proved no match for his Noel Meade trained market rival Knockgraffon King in the Navan Golf Course Maiden Hurdle.
A beaten odds-on favourite on his hurdling bow on this track last month, Knockgraffon King made all and stayed on stoutly to score by three lengths, prompting trainer Meade to declare: “That was more like it! I was very disappointed with him the last day but he probably needed the run. Tony Martin’s horse could be smart.
“Our horse seemed in a different zone when he worked well during the week and I was always happy with him today. He seemed to be enjoying himself, although Paul said he was having a good look around.
“He’s a three-mile chaser in the making but it has gone so late in the season now that we’ll wait until next season with him. He’s from the same family as Denman and is a horse to look forward to over fences. For this season, we’ll look for a winners’ race over as far as we can get.”
Mullins followers also suffered a reverse in the Irish Stallion Farms Beginners Chase when Bagber, backed into 8/11 favouritism, blundered badly and lost his chance when upsides Spanish Auriga at the second last.
The six-year-old rallied to finish fifth, beaten less than six lengths, behind the Tony Martin trained, back-to-form Oscar Dan Dan, ridden by Niall ‘Slippers’ Madden, which pounced on the run-in to foil Ross Na Right and the flattering Spanish Auriga.
Martin, who trains the 148-rated hurdler for his mother Marie, said: “He’s not a bad horse and, on the best of his hurdle form, he was entitled to win one. He’s not over-big for a chaser and has taken time to get it together over fences.”
