Horse Racing: Double delight for Mullins
Willie Mullins plundered two Grade One prizes with Florida Pearl and Davenport Milenium on the second day of the Punchestown Festival.
Florida Pearl inched closer to the one million euro mark for prize money when recording his 14th career success in the Punchestown Heineken Gold Cup.
Victorious on the 13-8 favourite on its previous outing at Aintree, jockey Barry Geraghty got Florida Pearl back on an even keel quickly after a mistake four out when he had just taken the lead.
‘‘I thought the game was up when he hit the fourth last, but he got back into it quickly and I am relieved really because he hadn’t quite been sparking at home,’’ said Mullins.
In a race in which there were plenty of jumping errors, the favourite was always holding the persistent challenge of Native Upmanship.
However, Florida Pearl maintained a relentless gallop to prevail by three lengths from Native Upmanship with the winner’s stablemate Alexander Banquet 12 lengths further away in third.
Mapping out Florida Pearl’s programme for next season Mullins said: ‘‘The plan for next season is more or less the same with Florida Pearl as this year, though we may not bring him back until the Durkan Chase here in early December before we go to Kempton again for the King George.
‘‘Then we might miss out on the Hennessy at Leopardstown before going for the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup and back to Aintree once more.’’
Arthur Moore was happy that his decision to try Native Upmanship over an extended three miles was worthwhile.
‘‘The options are open now for us for all the big chases from two to three miles, and I’m very proud of the way he ran without getting quite the run of the race,’’ Moore remarked.
There was no doubt about the superiority of Davenport Milenium in the colours of Alexander Banquet as he ended the unbeaten record of the favourite Like-A-Butterfly in the Menolly Homes Champion Novice Hurdle.
Like-A-Butterfly was easy to back on ground that was officially good, drifting out to even money with Davenport Milenium the main opposition in the ring at 100-30.
The favourite flattered briefly when taking over in front from the winner’s stablemate Boneyarrow at the second last, but Davenport Milenium was quickly on her outer and going the better swinging into the home straight.
‘‘He travelled well and jumped like a stag,’’ was the verdict of winning jockey Ruby Walsh, who sent the second favourite eight lengths clear of Thari at the finish with Like-A-Butterfly another length adrift in third.
And Mullins pointed out: ‘‘This horse obviously wants good ground and I am thrilled with the way he quickened up when Ruby challenged Like-A-Butterfly.
‘‘I think the favourite probably was a little over the top whereas my horse which went off the boil in the winter on the soft ground was fresher and better suited by this good going.’’
The plan next season is for Davenport Milenium to go novice chasing.
‘‘He probably is not quick enough for a Champion Hurdle and I think he has sufficient scope to jump
fences, but we could always go back hurdling if we didn’t think he was going to make it as a chaser,’’ Mullins added.
Like-A-Butterfly’s trainer Christy Roche said: ‘‘As game as ever though she probably has had enough of it by now for the season.’’
Mullins’s younger brother Tony denied Willie a hat-trick of Grade One victories when Supreme Developer held on to defeat Alexander Milenium for the Paddy Power Champion Flat Race.
Sent to the front by Pat Murphy early in the home straight, Supreme Developer (10-1) almost threw away the prize by hanging badly to his left in the last half-furlong as champion Philip Fenton got a renewed response from the long time leader Alexander Milenium.
Said Tony Mullins: ‘‘Tony McCoy told me that lack of education cost Supreme Developer his chance in the Cheltenham bumper.
‘‘At least I was encouraged that I had a good horse, as I have always thought, on my hands and he’s shown it today though I could do without the fright he gave us close home.
‘‘I have popped him over hurdles since Cheltenham and he jumps exceptionally well, so there is plenty to look forward to with this horse next season,’’ he added.
