Willie Mullins bagged a 51/1 Grade 1 double with classy mares Spindleberry and Aurora Vega in Fairyhouse
DOUBLE: Spindleberry, with Danny Mullins up, on their way to winning The WillowWarm Gold Cup. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
On a day when he also won the feature events at Cork and Plumpton, Willie Mullins bagged a 51/1 Grade 1 double with classy mares Spindleberry and Aurora Vega in Fairyhouse, part of an Easter Sunday six-timer.
Spindleberry, retaining her unbeaten record over fences, became the first mare since Like-A-Butterfly (2005) to win the Grade 1 WillowWarm Novice Chase.
Ridden by Danny Mullins, the 3/1 shot tracked stable-companion and favourite Champ Kiely following the exit of the other Mullins runner Ile Atlantique at the third.
Produced to lead between the last two fences, Spindleberry, in the colours of the Eastwoods, from Holywood, County Down, best known for Rory McElroy’s exploits, stayed on dourly to beat Firefox by four and a half lengths with the favourite third.
“She has shown her liking for Fairyhouse and deserved to win a Grade 1,” said Mullins, “Danny gave her a lovely ride – he was able to take a lead from Paul’s horse and, when she hit the front, he was able to show her off.”
“I’ll look at the programme book to see if there’s anything for her in Punchestown. But she’s a nice mare for the future – two and a half miles is a good trip for her at the moment, and she’ll go out to three miles next season.”
The Closutton double was completed when Paul Townend, on his first day of action since Aintree, partnered Aurora Vega (12/1) to a gutsy success in the Grade 1 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle, making a lot of the running before repelling British challenger That’ll Do Moss (50/1) by two and a quarter lengths.
Aurora Vega is a second Grade 1 winner out of the remarkable race-mare Quevega, a fact acknowledged by the champion trainer, “Like her mother, she’s maturing with age. What a mare Quevega is, both on the track and as a broodmare. The family just gets better and better with age.
“I’m very happy with her and I’d say she’ll stay further. Paul had his own plan and implemented it. He has his own style and it works.
“It’s great to win a Grade 1 with this mare And I don’t think there’s any need to go to Punchestown with her.”
On the supporting card, Buachaillbocht, trained for J P McManus by Ted Walsh, landed a tide gamble in the Sherry Fitzgerald Rated Novice Chase.
As big as 33/1 in the morning and sent off 7/2, Mark Walsh’s mount, invigorated by first-time blinkers, improved his jumping, travelled well and readily saw off Dutch Schultz.
“He’s a bit of a monkey and has been a bit gutless at some of his fences,” explained Walsh, “The blinkers definitely helped him. He stays well and Mark did a good job getting him up there – he looked a different horse.”
The McManus colours were back in the winner’s enclosure after the Pat Fahy-trained veteran Drop The Anchor, patiently handled by 7lb/ claimer Harry Sexton, saw off favourite Money Heist in the Paddy Kehoe Suspended Ceilings Handicap Hurdle, the eleven-year-old’s first win over hurdles since February 2021.
And the familiar silks came close to success earlier when 7/2 favourite Sticwiththeprocess, trained by Ted Walsh, was pipped by the Harry Rogers-trained Grann’s Boy (Darragh O’Keeffe) in the opening Cawley Furniture Novice Handicap Hurdle.
Robert Tyner introduced an exciting prospect I’m Slippy, in the colours of English owner Brebdan Keogh, to win the Tattersalls Ireland George Mernagh Memorial Sales Bumper, under a strong ride from Josh Williamson.
“He’s very tall, athletic horse, a smasher,” enthused Tyner, “He cost a few pounds but has never disappointed us at home and has been so easy from the word go. He’ll have a holiday now. He stays galloping and jumps well, so he’s a horse for the future.”
