Supreme Rules for Irish on St Patrick's Day

Rule Supreme struck for Willie Mullins on St Patrick's Day to give a third Irish Cheltenham winner in an eventful Royal & …

Rule Supreme struck for Willie Mullins on St Patrick's Day to give a third Irish Cheltenham winner in an eventful Royal & SunAlliance Chase.

Given a patient ride by David Casey, Rule Supreme (25-1) held Royal Emperor up the hill by one and a quarter lengths, with 11-8 favourite Our Vic two lengths further away third.

The winner's stablemate Mossy Green made the running and was still in front when Calling Brave, who was going well, made a bad mistake at the fourth-last fence, catapulting Mick Fitzgerald out of the saddle.

Mossy Green himself came down at the penultimate obstacle, bringing down the fancied Pizarro, who was still in with a shout. Our Vic looked like landing the spoils but he had nothing else to give after the last.

READ MORE

"I just said to David `hunt around and if you're still there at the second-last, have a go'. He rode a beautiful race," Mullins said.

Casey added: "He's a very good horse and has a good engine, he's just not a natural over fences. They went a good gallop and I knew he'd come home well.

"I was just hoping he would be there at the second or third-last. He didn't travel great early on, they were going too quick for him. But I knew he'd come home and I was confident we would be there or thereabouts."

Earlier Fundamentalist (12-1) dug deep for Carl Llewellyn to land a  thrilling Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle.

The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained gelding made a slight error at the  last and had 7-4 favourite Inglis Drever breathing down his neck all  the way to the line.

But Fundamentalist held on for a half-length success, with the front-running Grey Report four lengths back in third.