With just over two months until the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, the action continues to hot up in Ireland and after a quiet spell Willie Mullins looks to be back firing on all cylinders, while The Yellow Clay and Ile Atlantique shine on the track. Our resident Irish expert Donal Murphy is back with his look at the last week in his Irish Angle column…
THE WEEK THAT WAS
The Yellow Clay maintained his 100% record over flights when landing the first Grade 1 of 2025, the Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle.
Owned and bred by Noel and Valerie Moran of Bective Stud, the Gordon Elliott-trained six-year-old coped well with the testing conditions, ultimately easing to an eight-length win.
Elliott later said: “I’d imagine he will go straight to Cheltenham now,” with the Turners Novices’ Hurdle his likely target.
While out of luck with his four runners in the feature, Willie Mullins still left Naas with a treble, which was initiated by Fun Fun Fun in the opening beginners chase for mares.
Bouncing back from below par efforts in the spring, this chasing debutant made all and impressively dismissed seven rivals, with her breeder Patrick Mullins aboard.
Subsequently clipped in the betting for the Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, the Opera Hat, back at Naas, could be her next port of call.
Ile Atlantique, Firefox and Inthepocket faced off in the Grade 2 Racing Post Novice Chase, with the Mullins trained former ultimately easing to a five-length win.
“He’s matured a lot and got stronger than last year which is a big help,” the master of Closutton said in the aftermath.
Now two from two over fences, an outing at the Dublin Racing Festival is next on the agenda for this talented Tony Bloom-owned seven-year-old.
Owned by Rich and Susanna Ricci, Joystick made all to complete the Mullins-treble, while Light Up The Dark was another winner of note, taking the four-year-old bumper on debut, a race run in dreadful conditions. Also carrying the Ricci silks, Sainte Lucie lit up proceedings at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve, blitzing her 19 rivals in the three-year-old maiden hurdle.
Sent off a well-supported odds-on favourite, the now Triumph Hurdle contender raced prominently throughout and readily stretched clear from early in the straight, coming home 11-lengths to the good.
“She looks top drawer,” Mullins later enthused.
Just three lined-up in the feature conditions hurdle and while Mullins saddled two, it was the Henry de Bromhead-trained Ballyadam who came out on top.
Already successful at the highest level over flights, this Cheveley Park Stud-owned bay beat Saint Sam by half-a-length, with the runner-up bidding for his fourth win in-a-row.
Shannon Royale showed stamina aplenty when lowering the colours of High Class Hero in the opening long distance beginners chase, while Bambino Fever and Farmers Lodge were other winners of note on this seven race programme. Twice a runner-up at the highest level as a novice, Monty’s Star returned to action in the season feature at Tramore, the O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey New Year’s Day Chase.
Willie Mullins saddled no less than four of the seven for this Grade 3 contest, with his Embassy Gardens ultimately proving game from the front.
Ridden by Michael O’Sullivan, the nine-year-old was briefly challenged by the aforementioned Monty’s Star from two out, but soon readily shot clear of that rival, with five-lengths between them at the line.
O’Sullivan later went on to double-up aboard Ted Walsh’s Be Fierce, while talented amateur Josh Williamson, son of Norman, registered his first brace when partnering both Machismo and Rochestown to easy wins.
Having earlier took the first with More Coko, Mullins was another to complete a double at Tramore, while on the same day he dominated at Fairyhouse.
On the mark no less than four-times at the Co Meath venue, he claimed the Grade 3 feature with the front-running Allegorie De Vassy, while his Aurora Vega, a daughter of Quevega, bounced back to form in the opener.
Also successful with Sounds Victorious in the second, the most impressive Mullins-trained winner arguably came in the sixth.
On his first track start over fences and returning from a lengthy absence, Champ Kiely impressed in this nine-runner beginners chase, jumping well throughout under Paul Townend, who was also completing a four-timer. A Grade 1 winner over flights, the Ocovango nine-year-old looks a force to be reckoned with for the remainder of the season.
TEAM MULLINS BACK ON TRACK
Willie Mullins bounced back from a below par Christmas period, by registering no less than 11 winners in the four meetings since New Year’s Eve.
The champion trainer hit the target six times on New Year’s Day alone, scooping the feature race at both Tramore and Fairyhouse respectively.
DECISION TO RACE AT NAAS A QUESTIONABLE ONE
While many were rejoicing that Naas passed an early morning inspection on Sunday, in truth it probably should have been cancelled.
With weather warnings and snow forecast for almost the entire country, the roads became increasingly treacherous throughout the day.
Many horses underperformed and cut out quickly in the testing ground at the Co Kildare venue, with visibility extremely poor for the last two races.
All in all, the welfare of horses, workers and spectators alike should come before anything else, even a Grade 1 contest.
WHAT’S COMING UP
With the cancellation of Clonmel on Thursday due to a covering of snow, just three National Hunt fixtures are now pencilled in over the next seven days.
The Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase is the feature at Fairyhouse on Saturday, with Irish National winner Intense Raffles and recent Grade 1 winner Romeo Coolio successful at this fixture 12-months ago.
The Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle is the highlight of two days at Punchestown and this Grade 2 contest takes place on Sunday afternoon.
Monday’s fixture at the Co Kildare venue is a more lowkey affair.
ONE TO WATCH
Luker’s Tipple – (Andrew Kinirons): Well-supported from 16s early, this Flat recruit eventually went off at just 9/2 at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve. While he ultimately proved no match for exciting French import Sainte Lucie, he still ran an excellent race to finish second and drew all of 13-lengths clear of the third. Sure to come on plenty for this initial effort over hurdles, it’ll be disappointing if he fails to deliver on his next start.
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