Fairyhouse Report: Killultagh Storm narrowly won yesterday's Dan Moore Handicap Chase and trainer Willie Mullins was in no doubt about who favourite backers in the 7,710 crowd had to thank. Ruby Walsh was working on the horse from nearly half way but never gave up and in a driving finish with Alcapone the partnership came out on top by a head.
"That was a brilliant ride. I thought he had no chance four out but Ruby made his mind up for him, " said Mullins who completed a treble later in the day.
"That ground is ideal for Killultagh Storm and I suppose now we will take our chance against Moscow Flyer at Punchestown," he added.
Moscow Flyer's rider Barry Geraghty was on Alcapone after his intended mount Knife Edge was withdrawn due to the fast ground conditions but had earlier hit the mark in the opener on Rockwell Island.
However his great rival emerged one ahead on the day as Walsh again teamed up with Mullins to land the EBF Mares Novice Final with Nobody Told Me. "For a small horse she throws some jumps," said Mullins. The ex-French Nobody Told Me is in at Fairyhouse again tomorrow but it's more likely she will be kept for Punchestown.
The treble was completed by the highly rated Royal Alphabet who easily won the bumper and could undergo a campaign on the flat after running in the champion bumper at Punchestown.
Just minutes before the Grade Three Novice Hurdle, Jessica Harrington won at Cork with Mr Wong and she quickly doubled up with Pay It Forward. Timmy Murphy's mount came out best in a tight finish as the favourite Khetaam faded to fourth.
"He surprised me when he ran so well on the soft as on this day last year he won a point-to-point on rock hard ground. Maybe that's why he was so good today. He did it well. I got brave and put him in the 2½m novice at Punchestown so we have to go there now," Harrington said.
Ian Power had an armchair ride in the Beginners Chase on Heart Midlothian.
Aidan O'Brien's Tomahawk was a fast finishing fourth as Clodovil prevailed by a neck in the Group Three Prix de Fontainebleau over a mile at Longchamp yesterday. In what proved a bonanza for trainer Andre Fabre, Clodovil stole the show from stablemate Shuttle Diplomacy. Snipewalk took minor honours a nose further away, with Tomahawk breathing down his neck in fourth.