Sport

Mourad the pick of 57 to 1 four-timer for Walsh

RUBY WALSH was out of luck in the Grand National but the champion jockey dominated the rest of Fairyhouse’s Easter Monday card…

BRIAN O'CONNOR at Fairyhouse
Tue Apr 06 2010 - 01:00

RUBY WALSH was out of luck in the Grand National but the champion jockey dominated the rest of Fairyhouse’s Easter Monday card with a near 57 to 1 four-timer, highlighted by Mourad’s Grade Three success in the Ladbrokes.com Hurdle.

The Willie Mullins-trained five- year-old missed Cheltenham due to a setback and that had a key role in persuading his trainer to allow him run yesterday.

“I thought this morning I would probably take him out due to the ground, but having missed Cheltenham already I didn’t want to disappoint the owner,” Mullins said.

“It was probably a blessing in disguise, missing Cheltenham, because it allowed us come here and now he will probably go for the Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown. He has never been over three miles, but I think the further he goes the better,” he added.

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There was certainly no evidence of a lack of stamina yesterday as Mourad powered a dozen lengths clear of Donnas Palm, and he could now end up facing his stable companion Cousin Vinny later this month at Punchestown.

The former bumper star returned to winning form in the opening hurdle, challenging late in the four-runner event to beat the well-backed Head Of The Posse.

“Cousin Vinny has done what the handicapper says he should have done,” Mullins said. “He could go for the Stayers and we will probably go back chasing with him at some stage.”

Walsh won the mares chase with Shuil Aris, and teamed up with Tony Martin for the ride on Psycho in the Arkle Bar Novice Handicap Chase.

The former high-class handicap hurdler made all the running to win his second race over fences from just three starts.

“He is so nimble and natural at his fences for a novice. You’d swear he’d been doing this for 10 years,” said Martin, who had earlier won a handicap hurdle with Hold The Pin.

The Grade One-winner An Cathaoir Mor was killed in a fall at the second-last in the race won by Psycho, and his jockey David Casey was taken to hospital with a suspected fractured pelvis.

In terms of names for the future, though, Last Instalment stood out after carrying Michael O’Leary’s colours to a wide-margin victory in the Gigginstown bumper final.

“He’s a beautiful horse who will go novice hurdling next season,” said trainer Philip Fenton. “But he is fantastic to jump a fence. Some horses brush through them, but this one is spectacular.”