Mullins baffled King Rasko Grey travelled under radar

King Rasko Grey with Jody and Paul Townend and Audrey Turley after winning the Turners Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1). Pic: Healy Racing Photo

It’s not every day a horse trained by Willie Mullins and the chosen mount of Paul Townend can be backed at odds of 11-1 for a Grade One contest at the Cheltenham Festival. Especially not when the horse in question, King Rasko Grey, had proven Grade One form in the book having only gone down by a half-length at the Dublin Racing Festival (DRF) on his previous start.

But that was the case in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle as the Paul Nicholls-trained No Drama This End was backed off the boards for the opening race on day two of the Festival, going off at odds of 5-2 to get the better of 20 rivals.