The eagerly awaited reappearance of Florida Pearl at Leopardstown over Christmas gathered even more pace yesterday when Richard Dunwoody schooled the exciting Gold Cup favourite for the first time this season.
Dunwoody schooled Florida Pearl over eight fences and trainer Willie Mullins declared himself "delighted" with the piece of work. "Florida Pearl is in great form and I'm looking forward to him running a big race in the Ericsson. He also schooled last Thursday under Ruby Walsh and I was very impressed," Mullins said.
Mullins would not be drawn on whether Dunwoody will definitely be riding Florida Pearl in the Ericsson Chase rather than Dorans Pride. However, he will have fond memories of Saturday's Navan meeting where he was successful on three occasions.
Both Its Time For A Win and Micko's Dream justified evens favouritism in their races but it was the 20 to 1 success of River Cora in the Roast Turkey Handicap Hurdle that stung the punters.
Mullins actually supplied one of the joint favourites in this, Three Rivers, but he was done with early in the straight and it was River Cora who went on to win despite having been crossed by a loose horse on the run to the last flight.
"That wasn't part of the script," grinned the trainer who explained: "We were going to give him a couple of more runs to see if he would come right and he has today in a big way. David (Casey) rode him like a non-stayer and it has paid off. I think David also found a nice bit of ground on the outside and kept it to himself."
The very testing ground appeared to catch everyone out in the featured Kevin McManus EBF Novice Chase except for Micko's Dream whose jumping marked him out as a stayer with a future. A series of errors in the straight eliminated Micko's Dream's only serious rival Walt and he won eased down by 20 lengths.
"I was a bit worried when he didn't eat up a few nights ago but he has come back well. His jumping seems brilliant and he is getting better all the time," said Mullins who trains the six-year-old for the 24-strong Sport Racing Club.
Its Time For A Win finally got off the mark over hurdles when giving Ruby Walsh his 52nd winner this term in the opener and the novice could now be given his chance in the Ladbroke Hurdle.
"It's throwing him in at the deep end but I've always thought a lot of him and I feel we have been riding him wrong. He is learning to settle now and he won't know himself with only 10st in the Ladbroke," said Mullins.
Limestone Lad and Shay Barry never looked like losing the Christmas Pudding Handicap Hurdle in the straight and won the fifth race of his career in easy style from the favourite Sawa-Id.
