Bellshill and Shaneshill keep Willie Mullins' Closutton bandwagon rolling

The remarkable run of success being enjoyed by champion trainer Willie Mullins for owners Andrea and Graham Wylie continued in Naas yesterday as odds-on favourites Bellshill and Shaneshill provided them with a double.

Before a crowd of 5,578, the classy Bellshill (2/5) made it three from three over hurdles when producing a workmanlike performance to land the Grade One Lawlor’s Hotel Novice Hurdle while Shaneshill, also ridden by Ruby Walsh, followed-up his chase debut success in Thurles in the Irish Stallion farms Novice Chase.

A Grade One bumper winner in the Grade Two Navan Novice Hurdle last time, Bellshill travelled and jumped well in the feature, cruising through to join 66/1 outsider Last Encounter on the approach to the second last flight.