Treble delight for Willie Mullins
Ruby Walsh partnered Bachasson and Long Dog to emphatic wins in the maiden hurdle action while Patrick Mullins gave Fugi Mountain a confident rideto claim the bumper.
Winner of two bumpers in France and making his Irish debut, Bachasson, in the Un De Sceaux colours of Eddie O’Connell, justified 4/11 favouritism in the opening Pet Stop Maiden Hurdle, quickening clear after the second last flight to beat Free Scorpion by six and a half lengths.
“His French bumper form entitled him to win a maiden hurdle and he jumped really well for a horse having his first run over hurdles — he’ll improve,” said Ruby Walsh.
Winner of a Flat maiden on his debut for Andy Oliver on this track and placed in his only previous run over hurdles, Long Dog (2/7) impressed in the GAA Race Day 18th August Maiden Hurdle, scoring by 12 lengths.
Ruby Walsh said: “His jumping was rusty early, but he was very professional on the second circuit. He stays well and could be alright.”
The Mullins haul was completed by 8/13 shot Fugi Mountain in the finale, quickening clear before the furlong-pole to beat Bertie Bell.
Patrick Mullins said: “He’s from a good family, a half-brother to Blackstairsmountain, and we think he’s quite a decent horse. He has plenty of speed and could go to Galway for the winners’ bumper or the mile and a half maiden.”
Rising star Jack Kennedy completed a double, steering the Gordon Elliott-trained 2/5 shot Miss Dinamic to an all-the-way success in the mares novice hurdle before providing local trainer Mark McNiff with the first leg of a double as Urban Dusk landed the 80-95 handicap hurdle, a first winner for the 25 member Sligo Racing Club.
Kennedy, who has now ridden 14 winners, including 10 over hurdles, looked set to score again when Holeinthewallbar jumped the last with a clear lead in the 80-109 handicap hurdle.
But Michael Hourigan’s charge was collared late by the fast-finishing Mr Mulliner who gave McNiff a second win of the day.
Meanwhile, there were doubles for jockeys Shane Foley and Colin Keane and trainer Aidan O’Brien on the polytrack in Dundalk.
Foley triumphed on seven-year-old top-weight Russian Soul, described by his trainer Michael Halford as “a wonderful servant” in the featured Marshes Handicap over five-furlongs, holding off the late flourish of the unlucky Master Speaker, with favourite Ardhoomey third.
Halford added: “This horse is not simple or straight-forward and a lot of the credit must go to Jamie Heavey, who rides him out every day.”
Foley followed-up when War Room, trained by Shane Duffy, pipped Eloge in the Matthews.ie Handicap.
Earlier Keane continued his tremendous form, doubling up on the consistent but previously luckless Chenega Bay for his boss Ger Lyons in the opening maiden and striking again on Pat Martin’s Ishebayorgrey in the Marshes Best Dressed Lady 2015 Handicap.
Martin said: “Colin and this horse make a great team. The horse is ultra-gutsy and Colin knows him so well.”
The O’Brien brothers Joseph and Donnacha, provided their trainer-father Aidan with a double, thanks to the victories of Outspoken and Hobart in their respective small-field contests.
Outspoken, beaten by stable-companion and Grand Prix de Paris candidate Archangel Raphael at Fairyhouse last week, proved much too good for his two rivals in the Gilmore’s Mercedes-Benz Race, scoring for the second time in three starts for Donnacha.
And, blinkered for the first time, Hobart hacked up by 11 lengths under Joseph in the concluding maiden, a big improvement on his previous effort at Killarney in May.
