Willie Mullins took the training honours at a sun-drenched Tipperary yesterday evening when completing a 471 to 1 treble with Lucky Cat, King's Ego and Spanish Fortune. Lucky Cat provided last year's champion apprentice Shane Kelly with a welcome change of fortune when gaining a tenacious victory in the Tipperary Town and District Traders Handicap. The Leitrim-born rider has picked up a total suspension of 18 racing days, which will begin next Thursday, after three separate incidents in the past week. "We will up him in trip, probably at Killarney next month providing the ground is not too fast," said Mullins. King's Ego also led inside the final furlong to take the Tipperary Town and District Accountants, Solicitors and Engineers Race, although the son of Archway had things alot easier drawing clear under Pat Smullen to beat well-backed favourite Slightly Swift by one and a half lengths.
"He will stay further, and is growing all the time," said Mullins, who believes the gelding could make a nice hurdler in time. Barry Geraghty is setting the early pace in the National Hunt riders table, and recorded his sixth winner of the campaign when Spanish Fortune kept on strongly in the straight to beat Felicity's Pride by four lengths in the handicap hurdle.
