Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle |
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| Grade 1, Punchestown 16:55 €94,999 added, 4yo, 3m, Class 1  |
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| Wednesday 29th April 2015 | |
1 Killultagh Vic 8/1
2 Thistlecrack 8/1
3 Shaneshill 11/8F
NR: Fine Article (IRE)
10 ran Distances: ½l, 8½l, 7l
TIME 6m 8.80s (slow by 25.80s)
Killultagh Vic follows up his Cheltenham success to narrowly beat Thistlecrack in the Grade 1 Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle
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Willie Mullins continued his clean sweep in the Punchestown Festival Grade 1s when Killultagh Vic held off the Colin Tizzard-trained Thistlecrack by half a length.
The 8/1 shot, partnered by Paul Townend, fared better than stablemate Shaneshill, who was sent off 11/8 favourite and finished third.
"Killultagh Vic has improved since Cheltenham," said Mullins. "He's a good stayer and I'm not sure if we'll stick to hurdling or go over fences next season. The plan had been to go chasing but we'll look at what's around for the staying hurdles and then decide. Paul was fantastic, he kept his mount asleep and used Ruby (Walsh on Shaneshill) as his lead horse!
"I don't know if Shaneshill didn't stay or he was feeling the effects of Cheltenham. He appeared to stop so we'll have to see if a reason emerges."
Townend added: "Killultagh Vic dug really deep for me. I thought off the bend that I might win well but I missed the last and landed a bit flat-footed.
"The firepower down there [Willie Mullins'], they have so many runners in these races. They are second strings because Ruby [Walsh] is not riding them, but with any other trainer they would be first strings."
Colin Tizzard said of Thistlecrack: "It is a bit frustrating to get that close. Thistlecrack got shut in on the last bend but that's racing. He made up a lot of ground and stayed on beautifully.
"I would have thought he will go chasing now - normally that is what we would do. He is just a lovely a big horse and I can't wait to go over fences, although it has not been discussed yet."
Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)
€94,999 added, 4yo plus, 3m, Class 1
10 ran
Going: Good to Yielding
| Pos | Dist | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Killultagh Vic (IRE) 8/1 | P Townend 11-10 |
W P Mullins | 6 | |
| 2nd | ½ | Thistlecrack 8/1 | T Scudamore 11-10 |
C L Tizzard | 7 |
| 3rd | 8½ | Shaneshill (IRE) 11/8f | R Walsh 11-10 |
W P Mullins | 6 |
| 4th | 7 | Sub Lieutenant (IRE) 25/1 | J J Burke 11-10 |
Ms S Hughes | 6 |
| 5th | 9 | No More Heroes (IRE) 5/2 | B J Cooper 11-10 |
G Elliott | 6 |
| 6th | 34 | Roi Des Francs (FR) 20/1 | D E Mullins 11-10 |
W P Mullins | 6 |
| 7th | 36 | High Stratos 33/1 | R M Power 11-10 |
Mrs J Harrington | 6 |
| 8th | 19 | Arctic Skipper (IRE) 66/1 | A E Lynch 11-10 |
V Halley | 6 |
| 9th | nk | Binge Drinker (IRE) 20/1 | P Carberry 11-10 |
Miss R Curtis | 6 |
| PU | Fletchers Flyer (IRE) 10/1 | N D Fehily 11-10 |
H Fry | 7 | |
| NR | Fine Article (IRE) 20/1 | M P Fogarty 11-10 |
P Nolan | 6 |
