DAY THREE REVIEW:THE 2008-09 Irish National Hunt season might finish tomorrow but the all-dominant Willie Mullins is still making Grade One hay with a vengeance and again proved the point with Fiveforthree's ultra-stylish success in last evening's Punchestown feature.
The 2008 Cheltenham Festival winner eased home a seven-length winner of the Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle to be the centrepiece of a near 74 to 1 Mullins four-timer and also set himself up for a tilt at next month’s French Champion Hurdle at Auteuil.
However, as the 5 to 4 favourite returned to a rapturous reception, the 2006 Champion Hurdle winner, Brave Inca, struggled home a distant last, looking a shadow of his former self, and raising the possibility of a much-deserved retirement. “I will have to discuss it with the owners,” confirmed his trainer Colm Murphy.
Such a performance by the wonderful old champion proved yet again that time waits for no one but at the other end of the age-scale, and even among a hugely-strong team of young horses at the Mullins yard, Fiveforthree stands out as a potential chasing star of the future.
Despite getting immediate quotes of 5 to 1 for next year’s World Hurdle at Cheltenham, Mullins indicated a novice chasing career beckons for the classy grey who is already a 10 to 1 shot to follow in the footsteps of Florida Pearl, Rule Supreme and Cooldine in the 2010 RSA Chase.
There will be an early opportunity to emulate Rule Supreme, though, as the French Champion Hurdle at Auteuil in June, a race Rule Supreme won six years ago, is on the in-form champion trainer’s mind. “Three miles and two would be fine for him and he hasn’t had a hard season. That was just his third run so far this season, and just his fifth over hurdles. I don’t know if he would have a run in the Prix la Barka beforehand but I’d like a crack at the Champion,” Mullins confirmed before leaving no room for doubt about plans for next season.
“He is bred to be a chaser and even though when I bought him I didn’t think he would have the size to jump fences, he has really grown in the last while and those growth spurts might explain the niggling problems he has had,” the trainer said.
There wasn’t even a semblance of a problem yesterday as Walsh carried out his “wait-wait-wait” instructions to the letter to overhaul the English 20 to 1 shot Pettifour with Whatuthink a long way back in third. No doubt in Paris the instructions will translate into “attendre-attendre-attendre!”
Walsh may have landed the big race of the day but the champion jockey made a rare error of judgement in the other Grade One contest as the horse he discarded, Barker, ran out an impressive 15-length winner of the Cathal Ryan Memorial Chase.
Walsh’s choice of the Willie Mullins pair, Deutschland, could manage only fourth and he knew his fate before the straight by which time Barker appeared to be in control under David Casey.
A mistake at the second last by the favourite Fopadydeplasterer sealed things to secure a prestigious Grade One double on the day for a pair of Mullins-trained greys and contribute towards a tally of eight winners for the week already for the champion trainer.
“It’s been a very good week and a very good season overall,” said Mullins who also scored in the opener with Jessies Dream and with the odds-on Quel Esprit in the bumper.
