Trustatrader Top Novices' Hurdle |
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| Grade 1, Aintree 14:55 £100,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 103y, Class 1  |
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1 Salvator Mundi 7/2
2 Romeo Coolio 2/1
3 Karbau 33/1
9 ran NR: Blues Singer Distances: 7l, 1l, 16l
Time: 3m 56.84s (slow by 3.84s)
Salvator Mundi 👏
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 4, 2025
It's FIVE Grade 1s at Aintree this week for Willie Mullins as the Supreme fifth lands the @TrustATrader Top Novices' Hurdle pic.twitter.com/ODkN6t2chV
The Willie Mullins juggernaut rumbled on at Aintree as Salvator Mundi made light work of the task, delivering a performance of class and control under Paul Townend to bag another Grade One for the Irish maestro.
Fifth in the Supreme at Cheltenham, he arrived here as the 7-2 second favourite and never looked anything but in command. Townend had him tucked away sweetly in mid-division, allowing others to burn their matches early in a well-run race.
As they turned for home, Romeo Coolio loomed up looking a danger—briefly. But when Townend gave the signal, Salvator Mundi surged clear with purpose, brushing aside the challenge in a matter of strides. From there, it was all one-way traffic. Victory sealed with any amount in hand.
“We’d been scratching our heads a bit,” Mullins admitted. “He’s always shown us plenty, but that elusive Grade One kept slipping through the net. We let him at it today—told Paul to get him into the race early—and it worked.”
A shade untidy at a couple down the straight, the six-year-old was correcting himself rather than faltering, said Townend—evidence of a maturing mind finally catching up with his natural engine.
“He ran in the Triumph last year—that was always just a stepping stone. He thinks he’s faster than he is, to be honest! But with racing, he’ll settle. He’s learning all the time,” Mullins added.
There’s also a touch of stable rivalry at play behind the scenes. When Mullins rang Joe and Marie Donnelly about buying Salvator Mundi, Nicky Henderson was on the other line, bidding for Sir Gino—the horse who beat him at Auteuil. The Donnellys, naturally, took both.
“Sir Gino’s ahead for now,” Mullins grinned, “but we’ll catch him. Don’t you worry.”
Bookmakers reacted by trimming Salvator Mundi to 16-1 for the Arkle and 25-1 for the Champion Hurdle next season, options that now look well within reach for a horse finally hitting top gear.
As for Romeo Coolio, Gordon Elliott was full of praise despite his second consecutive placing in Grade One company.
“He’s honest as the day is long,” said Elliott. “That ground was about as quick as he’d like it, and he still stuck on well. But chasing is where his future lies—you can see it in his jumping. He’ll be some tool next season.”
So, while the headlines go to Mullins once again, there were plenty of future stars on show. But on the day, it was Salvator Mundi who lived up to his name—the saviour of the hour, in more ways than one.
Top Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)
£100,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 103y, Class 1
9 ran
Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 Salvator Mundi 5 11-7 W P Mullins Paul Townend 7/2
2 7 Romeo Coolio 6 11-7 Gordon Elliott Sam Ewing 2/1
3 1 Karbau 5 11-7 W P Mullins Danny Mullins 33/1
4 16 Jet To Vegas 6 11-7 Lucinda Russell Patrick Wadge 14/1
5 3¼ Royal Infantry 6 11-7 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 28/1
6 4¼ Tripoli Flyer 6 11-7 Fergal O'Brien Jonathan Burke 7/4F
7 7 Diva Luna 6 11-0 Ben Pauling Ben Jones 14/1
8 12 Joltin N Jiving 5 11-7 Donald McCain Brian Hughes 150/1
9 14 Rubber Ball 5 11-7 Neil King Jack Quinlan 40/1
NR 11 Blues Singer 5 11-7 Alan King NON RUNNER
