Willie Mullins hits half-century mark

By John Ryan

Willie Mullins broke the 50-winner barrier for the season when recording a double with Masons Daughter and Pleasure Dome in Ballinrobe last night and the champion trainer was present, on a rare visit to the County Mayo track, to register his fastest ever half-century of National Hunt winners.

A dual bumper-winner, having her second start over fences, Masons Daughter justified 4/7 favouritism in the opening Cawe Ceilings Delia Murphy’s Bar Maiden Hurdle, simply outclassing her rivals and making most of the running, under Patrick Mullins, for an effortless, 18 lengths success, a fiftieth of the season for Closutton.

“She did it well, particularly after that horrible mistake at the third last,” stated Mullins. “Patrick gave her a little breather, to recover, and she won really well. I’d say she’s better than a normal summer novice. We’ll follow the mares novice route and this proves that she goes on summer ground, as well as soft.”

On a day when drying ground caused a number of withdrawals, the Mullins double was completed when Pleasure Dome, narrowly beaten in Sligo last time, justified support and kept easy-to-back Lord Erskine at bay by two and a quarter lengths in the Investec Rated Novice Hurdle, the par stretching 25 lengths clear of the rest.

“That was nice,” said Mullins. “She ran very well in Sligo and we felt that the Sligo experience and longer trip would suit her. Paul decided to be more positive on her and it paid off. Galway will come too soon for her, so we’ll look for another rated novice for her.”

Mullins was expected to complete a treble with locally-owned, 1/2 debutante Westport Lady in the bumper. But, having made the running, the mare had no answer to the gears shown by the experienced Pike County, ridden for Denise Foster by Conor Orr.

Narrowly beaten by a Mullins mare in Roscommon last time, Pike County quickened well to triumph by five lengths to the delight of his trainer, who explained: “I’m thrilled for the horse – we’ve loved him since the day he arrived. You can put a line through his first two runs. But he has matured a lot and he evidently loves that ground.

“He was more relaxed today, before and during the race and he has tons and tons of pace. He’s a very exciting horse, probably a dual-purpose horse. He could go for a flat maiden any time.”

Peter Fahey continued his rich vein of form when Small World, ridden by Jack Kennedy, poached an early lead in the featured McGrath Limestone Works Ltd. Handicap Hurdle and was never headed, coming home a six and a half lengths winner from Fearachain.

Fahey admitted: “We thought he was coming back a nicer horse this year, but we were shaking our heads after his first two runs, which were very disappointing. But it’s great to win this lovely pot with him.”

“Jack gave him a brilliant ride – he stole it. It was his decision to make the running so everything worked out great. The horses are running well and we can look forward to Galway now.”

The J P McManus-owned Thecraicisninety, ridden by Mark Walsh, gave Padraig Roche his second training success when getting home narrowly from Zaofu and Kolumbus in the Mayo News Maiden Hurdle.

Frank Berry, representing McManus, commented: “He’s been off a while, but it’s great to get his head in front and great for Padraig. He has settled down a bit and battled well today, which has been a question-mark in the past. He might go for a little handicap or could go back over fences.”

Nearly Famous, trained for the County Westmeath based Mount Temple Three Syndicate by Jessica Harrington, proved a convincing winner of the (80-109) Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Hurdle, forging clear on the run-in to beat favourite Persian Wind by five lengths.

The five-year-old mare was ridden by Barry Geraghty, who said: “Jessie’s horses are on fire and this mare did it well.

“She travelled and jumped and saw it out well.”

It’s been a great eight days for young Cork rider Darragh O’Keeffe, who rode his first winner, on William Du Berlais, for his boss Enda Bolger in Killarney last Tuesday, followed-up on the same horse in Tipperary on Sunday and, last night, registered his third winner on board Doctor P’s Getaway, trained in County Galway by Norman Lee, in the Sweeney Oil Handicap Hurdle.