Relief for Patrick Mullins as Chapeau De Soleil lands the odds at Clonmel

Elsewhere on the card, Cash Back came home in front in the three-runner Jim Strang & Sons Kilsheelan (Peugeot) Hurdle

As eased down Chapeau De Soleil wins the ClonmelRaces.ie Qualified Riders’ Maiden Hurdle in the hands of Patrick Mullins. Picture: Healy Racing

While he had won two of the last 10 runnings of the ClonmelRaces.ie Qualified Riders’ Maiden Hurdle, Patrick Mullins cut a relieved figure when Chapeau De Soleil landed the odds in this year’s running.

“Usually, I get hit by a bolt of lightning in this race,” he said after his mount, trained by his father, Willie, put in a great round of jumping, with just a couple of exceptions. “I think I’ve fallen off 1-10 shots (Turnandgo, 2013), and I got two Grade One  winners (Capodanno, 2020, and Saint Roi, 2019) beaten in it, so it’s not a lucky race for me.”