Smooth Hill up and running

Briar Hill, winner of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival in March, made a successful start over hurdles when justifying 1/9 favouritism in the opening Supporters Club AGM & Table Quiz Maiden Hurdle in Wexford yesterday, continuing the superb form of champion trainer Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh.

In front from flagfall, the five-year-old Shantou gelding jumped with exuberance and enthusiasm and, pursued by Molly Connors and Rasco between the last two flights, drew clear, with the minimum of fuss, to triumph by eleven lengths.

In the absence of trainer Mullins, who arrived later, Ruby commented: “I’m delighted he won. Wexford isn’t a track that suits his strengths, but he did it well. He jumped super but was quite idle up the straight — he’s not a horse that you expect to pick up straight away. It didn’t fell as if he was going that quick, but he’s a grade 1 Cheltenham bumper winner and is deceptive.”