RACING LEOPARDSTOWN REPORT:THE SINGULAR place occupied by Willie Mullins in Irish racing right now can be summed up by how the champion trainer secured a seventh Hennessy Gold Cup success with Kempes and could still leave Leopardstown on Saturday in something of a "curate's egg" mood.
Mullins wasn’t alone, though, in any queasiness stakes. In fact the disappointment felt by the deflation of Zaidpour and Mikael D’Haguenet’s Cheltenham Festival hopes paled in comparison to the deaths of both the runner-up, Glencove Marina, and the English raider, Money Trix, after the big race.
Massive internal injuries claimed Glencove Marina but it was later in the evening that Money Trix was put down after sustaining a broken a leg in the early stages of the Hennessy.
Along with the dramatic deaths of two horses due to suspected electrocution at Newbury, it concluded a dark day for racing on both islands which in a month’s time will converge on the Cotswolds for the annual crescendo of the jumping game.
It’s in that context that such a mixed afternoon for Mullins takes on more significance. A successful festival for his horses is widely seen as vital to Irish hopes of a good overall Cheltenham and the cream of his novices over fences and hurdles did themselves few favours over the weekend.
Zaidpour could finish only a distant runner-up to the impressive Oscars Well in the Deloitte while Mikael D’Haguenet, hampered by the fall of his stable companion, Quel Esprit, at the second last, managed only third in the PJ Moriarty behind Bostons Angel.
“A few of them are stiff and sore this morning and we will see how they are after a week,” Mullins said yesterday. “I have a lot of thinking to do about if we go (to Cheltenham) and where we go.”
Kempes’ Hennessy victory under David Casey lightened the mood somewhat in the Mullins camp – “the surprises are always the best ones!” – but there was nothing but exultation for Jessica Harrington and Robbie Power who completed a Grade One double with Oscars Well firmly festival bound.
The Deloitte winner will be a major fancy for the Neptune Investments Novices’ Hurdle after trouncing what had been built up to be an ultra-powerful field of hot prospects.
“I was a bit worried about bringing him back to two mile two but they went a good gallop. He has plenty of pace, has now won over two and a half and two and a quarter, and the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham is the next logical step,” Harrington said.
Bostons Angel completed back-to-back Grade One victories in the Moriarty and will now be aimed at the RSA Chase after getting the better of Magnanimity in a stirring finish.
“He is not the type to win by six lengths as he only does what he has to. I thought today’s distance would be too short, but Robert did the right thing by sending him on. He has now won two Grade Ones and is entitled to run in the RSA,” Harrington added.
