Racing

Maughreen shows plenty of family ability in dazzling debut

Mare out of half-sister to former Champion Hurdle winner Faughreen romps to easy success in debut at Punchestown

Willie Mullins: champion trainer notched up a double in Punchestown with victories for Maughreen and Highwind. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Willie Mullins: champion trainer notched up a double in Punchestown with victories for Maughreen and Highwind. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Alan Magee, PA
Mon Jan 15 2024 - 19:34

Maughreen – a mare out of a half-sister to the brilliant 2015 Champion Hurdle winner Faugheen – made a most impressive racecourse debut at Punchestown.

Trained like Faugheen by Willie Mullins, the five-year-old was sent off the 1-2 favourite in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Flat Race and the result was never in any doubt.

Kept wide throughout by Patrick Mullins, it was not until the field straightened up for home that Maughreen gave an inkling of what she could do.

The moment she was asked she immediately picked up and without any real effort from the saddle, she had shot 11 lengths clear of Harrys Annie.

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Maughreen was swiftly cut in the Champion Bumper market by Paddy Power to 10-1 from 20s.

Patrick Mullins said: “She was very impressive. She was very professional, settled great and quickened up lovely. She handled the ground well.

“Her work was good, but that is probably even better than what she was doing at home. With that pedigree the owners are entitled to get more than a bit excited.

“We’ll go for black-type bumpers and everything is on the table. The DRF [Dublin Racing Festival] might come a bit soon and there is Fairyhouse, Punchestown and Aintree. I think she is entitled to take her chance.”

Maughreen completed a double on the day for the champion trainer, who also took the opening Bet Victor Proud To Support Irish Racing Maiden Hurdle with Highwind.

The juvenile effectively had to win the race twice, as with the race seemingly in the bag he made a hash of the final flight.

It was to his credit that when Sean O’Keeffe asked him again he still had plenty left and the 6-4 favourite beat Pigeon House by 2¾ lengths.

The winner was cut to 16-1 from 25s for the Triumph Hurdle by Betfair.

“It wasn’t without a scare, but he has a nice engine and a bit of class. He did it nicely at the finish,” said O’Keeffe.

“He knuckled at the back of the second-last and the same at the last. He went and won his race before doing that at the last but once they came to him, he picked up well again.

“He’s a laid-back horse and stays well. He’s a horse with a nice future and there will be plenty of improvement in him.”