Final Demand lays down Cheltenham marker with commanding Limerick Grade One win
MARKER LAID DOWN: Final Demand & Paddy Mullins win the Grade 1 Faugheen Novice Steeplechase. Picture: HEALY RACING
Long odds-on favourite Final Demand produced an impressive front-running performance to land the Grade 1 Guinness 0.0.Faugheen Novice Chase in Limerick for Willie and Patrick Mullins.
Sent off at 1/3, the six-year-old, now a very skinny price for the ‘Brown Advisory’ at Cheltenham, produced a near flawless display of jumping, although he got a bit close to the finale fence, and won readily by eight lengths from stable-companion Gold Dancer.
Final Demand was completing. Ahat-trick in the race for the companion trainer and was a third winner of the Grade 1 for Patrick Mullins, previously successful on Faugheen (2019) and Gaelic Warrior (2023).
The winning rider explained, “He was a bit lairy, on his own, in front, but jumped fantastic. I wanted to go a stride faster, because Jimmu Du Seuil (made mistakes and trailed in last) is a faster horse.
“It was like riding an armchair around there and I wish I could have gone around again. He was so lazy today and will travel better in a more competitive race.”
Speaking from Leopardstown, where he won the bumper, Willie Mullins suggested that Final Demand is likely to head for the DRF at Leopardstown en route to Cheltenham.
Final Demand was the third leg of a treble for the champion trainer, who had earlier bagged the two maiden hurdles on the card, with King Rasko Grey and You Proof, both ridden by Danny Mullins.
Off the track since last May and making his hurdling debut, King Rasko Grey, in the Galopn Des Champs colours of the Turleys, travelled like a dream through the opening Whitebox Property Group Maiden Hurdle before pouncing to beat Shuttlee Diplomacy and Kaiser Ball, with gambled-on favourite I Started A Joke in fourth.
“It looked a strong maiden and that was a taking performance,” stated the winning rider, “He travelled well, was a bit awkward at the last, but picked-up well. He’s a nice, progressive horse.”
Your Proof, in the familiar Munir/Souede colours, took the CUBE Maiden Hurdle, staying on dourly to master flattering odds-on favourite King’s Bucks on the run-in to score by a length and a half.
Danny Mullins commented, “The de Bromhead had good Grade 2 form, so this was a decent performance. He got the job done and ran away nicely at the finish.
“He feels like a good horse and jumps well. He should be a strong stayer on the spring.”
But the Mullins team was denied in the bumper when Sortudo’s half-brother Looking For Eight (Patrick), on his debut, went down by three-quarters of a length to experienced 5/6 favourite Rojuco Mac, ridden for Charles Byrnes by Anthony Bustin.
A ten-race maiden over fences, Ballybawn Belter, trained for JP McManus by Liz Doyle, belatedly opened her account over the bigger obstacles when landing an incident-packed Campion Insurance Tim Duggan Memorial Handicap Chase at the expense of Uncle Pat and El Champo.
The 6/1 shot had headed Conyers Hill when that rival crashed two from home before two further casualties at the last saw the Simon Torrens-trained mare stretch away to triumph by eleven lengths.
“She had a couple of good runs early in the season but three miles, in heavy ground stretched her in the Troytown, “ said Doyle, “This is a big race, w race with a great history and it’s great to win it. She might go to the DRF for the two-mile, five-furlong handicap. Better ground there should be a good fit for her.”
**Gary Noonan, whose mount Dalmatic pipped Gaelic Des Chastys in the D Pack Packaging, was in hot water with the Stewards, on the double.
He received a 12-day careless riding ban following an incident in which his mount collided with the eventual third Likable Chancer and a further two-days for using his whip with excessive frequency.
