Where It All Began bags National Trial honours

The Willie Mullins-trained Tullyhill proved the star of the show at Punchestown, winning the Madigan Group Irish EBF Sheila Bourke Novice Hurdle in impressive fashion

Sun, 18 Feb, 2024 - 18:13

John Ryan

Dour stayer Where It All Began outpointed 5-4 favourite We’llhavewan to continue Gordon Elliott’s recent domination of the QuinnBet Grand National Trial in Punchestown.

A 108th winner of the season for Jack Kennedy, the 10-1 shot appeared to be struggling on the home-turn but stayed on powerfully, heading the favourite before the final fence and powered clear on the run-in to triumph by 16 lengths, with Clonmeen back in third.

Elliott’s Cullentra yard has now won five of the last six renewals of this contest.

“Doing 10-5 is as low as I’d go," Kennedy said before adding: "He jumped great and never missed a beat. After the second last, I thought we’d be third, but then his stamina kicked in.

“He’s not ground-reliant, but just needs a test of stamina. He’s been threatening to do something like this for a while.”

Elliott, who had watched his beloved Meath defeat Louth in the National Football League, arrived later for the bumper and earmarked either the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival or the Irish Grand National as the next assignment for Where It All Began.

Elliott went on to complete a 1-2 in the Up The Yard Challenge Race as Ultima-bound The Goffer (Emma Gilligan) beat Samui (Shauna Knowles) by five lengths.

The Willie Mullins-trained grey Tullyhill proved the star of the show, making all to land the listed Madigan Group Irish EBF Sheila Bourke Novice Hurdle impressively from No Flies On Him and providing Closutton with the highlight of a Sunday four-timer.

In the Cheveley Park colours, the 6-5 favourite dictated the pace and stretched clear approaching the final flight for an emphatic nine-length success.

“He has a fair engine,” stated Mullins. “After the first day here, he needed to get his confidence back jumping and David Casey has done a great job with him.

“I thought he was an out-and-out stayer, but he has plenty of speed. He has a great cruising speed. We’ve concentrated on his jumping and it’s starting to match his cruising speed. That performance shoots him back up to where I thought he'd be at the start of the season.

“On that performance, he’s entitled to go anywhere. I’ll have to have a word with connections, but that was good enough for the Supreme. And he’ll have his supporters too, on this evidence.”

Asked about the prospect of Tullyhill facing star stablemate Ballyburn on March 12, Mullins responded: “If you’re not in, you can’t win.”

Disappointing when beaten at odds-on in Naas last time, the Mullins-trained Mister Policeman bounced back and set the ball rolling for Closutton when justifying 1-2 favouritism in the Concept Colours Rated Novice Chase, readily brushing aside chief market rival Arctic Bresil by six lengths and prompting Paull Townend to describe him as “a work in progress”.

“He’s probably still learning in terms of jumping,” said Mullins. “I’m happy he’s coming along in that department and Paul was keen to get his confidence back. This was a nice race for him and he’ll be nicely set-up for the springtime. He’ll be. Better when he goes out in trip. There are plenty of races to be won and it’s nice to know he’s effective here — he could come back for a novice handicap at the festival.”

Mullins and Townend also struck with Paggane, carrying the State Man colours of Marie Donnelly, in the Old House Kill Maiden Hurdle, a performance which prompted the champion trainer to suggest: “Her jumping is improving and going out in trip will help. She’ll go for a novice handicap.”

Patrick Mullins had to work hard to complete the official Closutton haul on board 10-11 favourite Sounds Victorious in the bumper, getting up late to deny Masterboy Davis by a head, with the winner’s stable-companion Inn At The Park a close third, having dictated the pace.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained hotpot Senior Chef made his supporters sweat before landing the QuinnBet Beginners Chase at odds of 2-9, responding to Rachael Blackmore’s urgings to master Duffle Coat by three-quarters of a length.

The winning trainer said: “Rachael said she knew turning in that it would be okay — I’m not so sure. It’s tough old ground and he was popping away and, in fairness, he has done little wrong over fences. We’ll see where we go now, probably for a handicap somewhere.”

Buachaillbocht, trained for JP McManus by Ted Walsh, made it three wins from his last four starts when justifying 7-4 favouritism, under Mark Walsh, in the David Trundley Novice Handicap Hurdle, despite idling in front, when clear, and holding on by just a half-length from He’s Home Again.

“He’s going the right way and might win another, one” said Walsh. “He’s sound and jumps and, if he takes to fences, we might have some fun with him.”