Leopardstown Monday review: Willie Mullins' stars shine

Treble tops for red-hot Mullins

Saint Roi and Lossiemouth were the highlights of a sparkling Willie Mullins treble at Leopardstown on Monday.

The former came from last to first to open his account over fences in the Brand New Racing Post App Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

Fourth in the Irish Champion Hurdle, the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Punchestown Champion Hurdle last season, the JP McManus-owned seven-year-old had found the reopposing Fil Dor four lengths too strong on his chasing debut at Navan last month.

The pair again dominated the betting, with Fil Dor the 8/11 favourite to confirm his superiority and Saint Roi a 3-1 shot for Willie Mullins and Mark Walsh.

Visionarian gave a bold sight in front for much of the Grade One contest, with a couple of jumping mistakes late in the back straight putting Fil Dor on the back foot.

Walsh, meanwhile, bided his time aboard Saint Roi before producing him to challenge for the lead approaching the final fence.

Visionarian, the 25-1 rank outsider, did his best to make a race of it, but Saint Roi’s class kicked in on the level and he proved two and a quarter lengths too strong in the end.

Betfair and Paddy Power cut the winner to 14/1 from 25/1 for the Sporting Life Arkle at Cheltenham in March. Sky Bet are the same price from 28s.

Mullins, said: “I thought he ran very well against a horse that had already had a run in Navan. If he’d won we’d be coming here anyway so rather than running in another beginners chase, I thought let him have a crack at a good prize.

“He jumps well enough and he’d schooled very well in the meantime. We decided to change the tactics. JP (McManus) was wondering would he be better waited with and Mark agreed. He’s a nice prospect for the rest of the season.

“He’s not the biggest horse in the world but he jumps very efficiently. He’s also a lot more sensible over a fence than a hurdle. He had a hurdle rating good enough to run in championship races but was probably not a champion hurdler himself.”

Triumph favourite dazzles again

Lossiemouth cemented her place at the head of ante-post lists for the Triumph Hurdle with a commanding display.

The French recruit was the apparent second string for Mullins on her Irish debut at Fairyhouse earlier in the month, but comfortably accounted for stablemate Zarak The Brave at Grade Three level.

She was the 4/5 favourite to follow up in the Grade Two Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle and having travelled well throughout under Paul Townend, she had the race sewn up turning for home.

Gala Marceau, making her first start for Mullins after two wins in France, gave chase in the straight, but Lossiemouth was ultimately far too strong and had seven and a half lengths in hand at the line.

Betfair and Paddy Power cut the winner to 6/4 from 11/4 for the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, with Sky Bet the same price from 9/4.

Mullins said: “She did that nicely and jumped well. She was hard on herself and was still able to win well enough. I’m very pleased with her and with Gala Marceau who ran on to be second. Lossiemouth looks like she could be the real deal and deserves her favouritism for the Triumph.

“I haven’t asked her to do too much since (Fairyhouse) and we said we’d come here and see how things go. The Dublin Racing Festival would seem the obvious target now.”

Townend added: “She’s definitely going the right way – she backed up her run the last day. It was not a straightforward race today and it looked that way going out – in a truly-run race you’d see the true mare I think. She had to get down and dirty and grind it out and she had no bother doing that.”

Mullins strikes with Dark Raven

Mullins and Townend cominbed to win the Thorntons Recycling Maiden Hurdle with even-money favourite Dark Raven who was maintaining his unbeaten record on his return from a lengthy absence.

The Malinas gelding won twice in the bumper sphere in the spring of 2021, but had not been seen in competitive action since the latter of those triumphs at Fairyhouse 631 days ago.

Paul Townend’s mount proved his ability remains very much intact as he knuckled down to make a successful comeback by three lengths from Doctor Bravo.

Mullins said: “He had setbacks last year and we decided to take the season off, so he’s come back nicely this season. He looks to have an engine and jumps well enough.

“I’m very happy to see him doing it over the minimum trip as well. I’m hoping he’ll improve over further and it looked like he wasn’t stopping at the end anyway.”

Definition delivers on hurdling debut

One-time Derby favourite High Definition made a successful start to his jumping career in the opening race of the Christmas Festival at Leopardstown.

The Galileo colt looked every inch a Classic contender in the making after charging home to win the Beresford Stakes as a two-year-old, but had failed to get his head in front in 12 subsequent starts.

However, he has been placed in the Dante at York, the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh and the Coronation Cup at Epsom and brought serious class to proceedings in the All About Sunday Maiden Hurdle.

Making his first start for Joseph O’Brien, having previously been trained by his father Aidan, High Definition (9/2) was sent straight to the lead by JJ Slevin, who appeared keen to ensure the two-mile contest was a searching test of stamina.

The four-year-old was not entirely convincing in the jumping department racing down the back straight, but remained in front turning for home and with the final flight omitted he kept up the gallop on the run-in to score by four and a quarter lengths from Jetara, with 4/5 favourite Parmenion only third.

The sponsors cut High Definition to 16/1 from 28s for the Sky Bet Supreme at Cheltenham. Paddy Power and Betfair are 20s from 25s.

O’Brien said: “It was a nice start over hurdles for him. On the whole he put up a good enough round of jumping. He was a bit green at a couple and having to make the running on his first run over hurdles wasn’t ideal. He went particularly right at one in the back.

“There seemed to be plenty of well-fancied horses in the race. The second was a very good filly in bumpers and Willie’s (Mullins) was well fancied in third.

“We’ve had him since October. The plan was to come here for a maiden and we were happy with his schooling at home. He was a high-class Flat horse so you would be hoping he can make it into Graded company over hurdles.”

Considering future plans, the trainer added: “Obviously we would be looking at Cheltenham, but he would have to run somewhere between now and then.

“We’ll see how he is after this and speak with the owners before making a plan. The Dublin Racing Festival is an option, but whether we want to go straight into that class or take baby steps we’ll have to see.”

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