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Maughreen, Dancing City & Anzadam Sparkle For Mullins – The Irish Angle With Donal Murphy

It was another stunning week for Willie Mullins in Ireland and he heads into this weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival in fine form. Our resident Irish columnist Donal Murphy is back to look back at all the action from the Emerald Isle over the last week…

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THE WEEK THAT WAS

Willie Mullins yet again dominated in Ireland over the last week, saddling no less than 10 winners from 25 runners, while also registering another two in the UK.

Dancing City, Anzadam, Maughreen and Nick Rockett all starred for the champion trainer, with the latter claiming the most valuable prize on offer over the last seven days, the Thyestes Chase.

Declan Queally was another who enjoyed a highly profitable week, while Henry de Bromhead’s disappointing January continued.  

Punchestown – Monday

Maughreen shortened at the head of the market for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, after she made all under Paul Townend on her first try over flights. Not seen since winning on debut just over a year ago, the well-bred five-year-old, who is out of a half-sister to Faugheen, made some slight mistakes on her way around.

Still coming home five lengths to the good, Willie Mullins was suitably impressed with his charge and later stated: “I thought it was a huge performance for a mare having only her second run.

“She should improve, I’m hoping she will.”

Townend and Mullins also struck with Karbau and Port Joulain, with the former easing to a 16-length success on what was his second start for current connections.

Slurricane was another winner of note, with his trainer Ross O’Sullivan indicating in the aftermath that a tilt at the Fred Winter is now on the cards for this Eleanora Kennedy-owned bay.

Naas – Sunday

Dancing City and Anzadam lit up a miserable afternoon at Naas, with bigger targets now lying in wait for the Joe and Marie Donnelly-owned pair.

Already a three-time winner at the highest level over flights, Dancing City made all in the Grade 3 Finlay Ford At Naas Novice Chase. Jumping well throughout, the likeable chestnut ultimately eased to a three and a half-length success, with the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham likely to be his next port of call.

Also trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend, Anzadam had just two rivals to beat in the Naas Racecourse Business Club Limestone Lad Hurdle. Sent off at the prohibitive odds of 1-10, the Authorized five-year-old got to the front at the last and sauntered to an 11-length success in this Grade 3 heat. Now unbeaten in four starts, Mullins later stated: “He’s in the Champion Hurdle, but maybe we should wait for Aintree.”

Mullins and Townend, who completed a treble on the day, were earlier on the mark with hurdling debutant Charlus.

Elsewhere on this seven-race programme, well-backed 7/4 favourite Answer To Kayf impressed in the opening Clinton Higgins Accountants Novice Handicap Chase.

Fourth in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham last year, the Terence O’Brien-trained nine-year-old trounced 10-rivals in this two-and-a-half-mile contest, coming home 12-lengths to the good. O’Brien later indicated that the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase at Cheltenham could be next on the agenda for his stable star.

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Navan – Saturday

Fairyhouse – Saturday

Despite proving easy to back, Aurora Vega made it six wins from nine starts in the feature Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle. Always to the head of affairs under Paul Townend, the Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old found plenty for pressure in the closing stages to beat Dream On Baby by a length and three-quarters.

Likely to sidestep Cheltenham, a return to Fairyhouse for the Grade 1 Irish EBF Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle at Easter is now on the agenda for this talented bay.

Mullins and Townend went on to complete a double with yet another French import, Kawaboomga. Second on his debut for current connections behind stable companion Kopek Des Bordes, the JP McManus-owned bay went a place better in this 20-runner contest, beating dual bumper winner William Munny by a length and a half.

A trip to Cheltenham in March is now on the cards this promising five-year-old.

Gowran – Thursday

Nick Rockett was the hero at Gowran on Thursday after the Willie Mullins-trained eight-year-old claimed the Thyestes Chase in the colours of Stewart Andrew and his late wife Sadie.

Kept wide throughout by Paul Townend, the 152-rated bay battled gamely in the closing stages to beat the always prominent Velvet Elvis, with two and a quarter lengths between them at the line. Often used as a stepping stone for the Grand National, the Aintree showpiece is now high on the agenda for this proven stayer.

Mullins and Townend later doubled their tally with Quai De Bourbon, with the Brown Advisory likely to be his next port of call.

The Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle preceded the Thyestes, with rapidly improving five-year-old Rocky’s Diamond beating his older rivals. The winner of a handicap over the course and distance in October and since third at the highest level when 66/1, the Declan Queally-trained bay was always prominent under Shane Fitzgerald. While strongly pressed on the run-in, the admirable youngster battled gamely to beat Thedevilscoachman by a length and a quarter.

Down Royal – Tuesday

“He’ll head on for the novice handicap chase (at Cheltenham),” Paul Nolan reported after the success of Conyers Hill in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Rated Novice Chase.

A smart performer over flights, the Walk In The Park seven-year-old came from off the pace to narrowly get the better of One Last Tango, with just a neck between them at the line.

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DE BROMHEAD HORSES OUT OF FORM

After a profitable Christmas period, Henry de Bromhead has pretty much had a January to forget, saddling just two winners from over 50 runners.

While some of his horses have filled the runner-up spot, both Belle The Tigress and Hiddenvalley Lake ran well below par at Gowran on Thursday when sent off favourites.

Sure to be well represented at the Dublin Racing Festival, the Knockeen handler will be hoping for a change in fortunes for February.

FOUR FROM FOUR FOR QUEALLY

While Rocky’s Diamond was undoubtedly the highlight, Declan Queally remarkably finished the week with a 100% strike rate.

Winning bumpers at Gowran and Fairyhouse with Carrigmoorna Beech and I’ll Sort That respectively, the shrewd Co Waterford handler was also aboard those two victors.

Rounding off a fruitful couple of days, he also guided Rocky’s Howya to victory in the Open at Cragmore point-to-point on Sunday, with this one overturning recent Limerick winner Con’s Roc.

WHAT’S COMING UP

A lowkey fixture takes place at Limerick this afternoon, with no further National Hunt action until the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown over the weekend.

With four Grade 1s down for decision on both Saturday and Sunday, National Hunt fans will undoubtedly flock to the Foxrock venue.

Willie Mullins claimed no less than nine of the 15 races last year and the champion trainer is again likely to dominate, with many of his stable stars set to line-up.

Clues for Cheltenham will be plentiful, considering 11 winners at Prestbury Park last March had competed here. 

ONE TO WATCH

Dream On Baby (Emmet Mullins): Out of a half-sister to Rhinestone Cowboy and Wichita Lineman, this five-year-old ran a huge race when second in Grade 3 company at Fairyhouse on Saturday. Inconvenienced before the last, she stuck to her task gamely on the run-in and went down by just a length and three-quarters. Likely to be more effective over further, she looks an interesting prospect going forward off a revised mark of 130.

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