Final Approach lands MCR Hurdle

Racing: Trainer Willie Mullins made it a one-two finish as Final Approach landed the €60,000 MCR Hurdle at Leopardstown from…

Final Approach ridden by Paul Townend comes home to win the MCR Hurdle at Leopardstown (Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho)
Final Approach ridden by Paul Townend comes home to win the MCR Hurdle at Leopardstown (Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho)

Racing:Trainer Willie Mullins made it a one-two finish as Final Approach landed the €60,000 MCR Hurdle at Leopardstown from stablemate Call The Police with a stylish performance. The Bull Hayes had earlier opened his account over hurdles for Jessica Harrington in the Tote Maiden Hurdle

The lightly raced gelding was having only his fourth start over hurdles but belied his inexperience to run out a ready winner in the colours of race sponsor Douglas Taylor, managing director of MCR.

Paul Townend was always travelling strongly and quickened clear from the final flight to land a gamble on the 6-1 chance with something to spare.

Mullins had a day to savour as he was also responsible for the second home, Call The Police, who was making his debut for the yard after 399 days off the track.

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Final Approach was the most inexperienced horse in the field, yet the five-year-old was backed in from 14-1 in the morning and sent off at 6-1.

Townend spotted a gap up the rails before the final flight and he comfortably held off Call The Police by two lengths with Mutadarek third and Northern Alliance fourth.

Former Flat performer The Bull Hayes opened his account over timber in the Tote Maiden Hurdle after Harrington's five-year-old was sent off a 5-1 chance under Barry Geraghty and after cruising past Tony McCoy on 5-4 jolly Ballyburke rounding the turn for home the race was over as a contest.

Harrington's charge previously ran in the Irish Derby behind Fame And Glory and finished second on his first two starts over hurdles then proved no match for Bishopsfurze on his last start at Cork. However there were no such problems today as The Bull Hayes ran out an easy 12-length winner.

Harrington said: "He just doesn't like too much hard work at home, if the sand gets too deep he doesn't like that, so we do a lot of work on grass and he seems to love it. We'll have a look at the programme book and see where we go."

McCoy went one better in the next, however, on Noel Meade's Rahan De Marcigny (7-2) in the www.thetote.com Beginners Chase.

Having tracked Harrington's Bostons Gift into the straight, Willie Mullins' Tawaagg appeared to have caught McCoy napping and went about half a length up.

Tawaagg was second in the feature MCR Hurdle on this day last year and was making his first start of the season, but McCoy got into his famous drive position to prevail by half a length. Healys Bar was third.

Meade said: "He's been a hard horse to place since he came over from France. "He's no superstar but I thought he was good enough to win a beginners' chase.

"He doesn't find much off the bridle usually so it was nice to see him respond. Missing the last fence (because of the sun) probably wasn't a help because he jumps well."

There was a huge shock in the Tote Pick Six Killiney Novice Chase when Magnanimity (9-4) got the better of Jessies Dream.

Sent off the 4-9 favourite to confirm the promise of his win in the Drinmore Chase, Jessies Dream was settled at the rear of the three-runner field.

He jumped sketchily at a few fences in the back straight but looked to have Dessie Hughes' Magnanimity covered as they approached the final fence.

While Timmy Murphy and Jessies Dream ran down the fence to the right, Davy Russell fired Magnanimity straight at the obstacle and got away from it quickly.

And try as Murphy might, Jessies Dream just had too much ground to make up on the run-in and went down by three-quarters of a length with the 7lb penalty proving crucial.