Mixture makes all in maiden

On a miserably wet afternoon for all concerned, the Pat Doyle-trained Serious Mixture lit up yesterday’s Kilkenny Foxhounds point-to-point meeting at Grennan Castle outside Thomastown by recording a gallant pillar-to-post success in a competitive first division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Serious Mixture (5/1), a towering son of Fair Mix, was bounced out in front by Derek O’Connor on this new right-handed track. The recent Cregg third gave an exhibition of fencing at the head of affairs and the British-bred was clearly travelling best from before the penultimate of the 15 obstacles. At the post, Serious Mixture had five lengths to spare over the eyecatching Bravehearted Harry.

“This is a very backward horse that we bought as a three-year-old and you won’t see the best of him for another year. He will probably now go to the Brightwells sale at Cheltenham later this month,” reported Doyle of his wife Mary’s Serious Mixture.