Real Steel too strong for Footpad at Thurles

With three of the five runners in the Grade 2 Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase, trainer Willie Mullins was a long odds-on chance to land the spoils, and duly saddled the first three home, headed by Real Steel.

Stablemate Footpad was favourite to head the Mullins formation, but he raced keenly through the race and never gave his jockey, Daryl Jacob, much chance to get him into a rhythm. Real Steel, on the other hand, warmed to the task nicely for Paul Townend and, as the from two pulled away from the remainder of the field as the race unfolded, he had much more left in the locker and stretched on close home to win with a considerable amount in hand.