Stayers Hurdle: 'Huge performance' sees Flooring Porter beat all rivals 

Danny Mullins riding Flooring Porter celebrate after winning The Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle 

The giant strides made this season by the Gavin Cromwell-trained Flooring Porter culminated in a Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle success of some authority. For Danny Mullins, deputising for Jonathan Moore, who stood himself down, it was a breakthrough Festival victory, and a second championship win for Cromwell, following on from Espoir D’Allen’s Champion Hurdle win in 2019.

Seven months ago, this then five-year-old won a summer handicap hurdle at Gowran Park, off a mark of 122, a figure roughly 40lbs shy of what is needed to win a Stayers’ Hurdle. Although beaten on his next two outings, in December he won a Navan handicap in a hack canter and then took the plunge in Grade 1 company at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting.