Patrick Mullins rode a pair of promising winners for his father Willie on what was a productive afternoon at Clonmel on Thursday.
I Walked The Line opened his account under rules in the Rathronan Maiden Hunters Chase, bringing some winning point to point form to the table and coming away with a three-length victory as the even-money favourite.
The horse will remain in amateur contests for the foreseeable future, with his rider hoping he can develop into a Foxhunter type to emulate the likes of Billaway, who proved a Cheltenham Festival stalwart.
“He is brilliant to jump, made one mistake which was my fault, but I liked him. We finished a long way clear of the third,” he said.
“We have been trying to replace Billaway and I had Cause For Comment last year who didn’t quite measure up, so I got this horse and I’m hoping to make him into a Billaway-type horse.
“Being by Walk In The Park attracted me to him, as I love those, and he is for sale to stay in the yard. Cormac Doyle, who is fairly sharp, recommended him strongly and said he was weak in his first few runs before winning a point to point on his fourth start.
“I’ll look to a winners-of-one hunter chase next and maybe aim him for the Ladies Cup at Punchestown then and afterwards to Stratford. Next year, as a six-year-old, I’d hope to work towards Cheltenham.”
Mullins’ second winner on the card was King Of Aces, who took the Monroe Maiden Hurdle by six lengths on his first start under rules as a 7-2 chance.
The six-year-old is a half-brother to Ile Atlantique, a Grade Two winner who was last seen finishing second in the New Year’s Day Chase at Tramore.
Mullins said: “I bought this horse as I thought I might win the WillowWarm Gold Cup (Fairyhouse) on his half-brother Ile Atlantique later that same day but fell off him, which wasn’t a great start!
“I was a big fan of Ile Atlantique and while he has been disappointing, he is still a 150-horse. This fellow was very good in a point to point, is a fine big chasing type and Aidan Fitzgerald recommended him strongly. He is quite exciting and isn’t slow.
“Again, he is for sale to stay in the yard and to me he could be a Thyestes or Paddy Power-type of horse down the line. I thought he might grind out a win today but he showed gears.”
Elsewhere on the card, Gordon Elliott’s Santo Sospir took the Munster Hurdle by nine lengths as the 4-5 favourite under Jack Kennedy.
The Cullentra trainer said: “He is going the right way, but is still a baby and is learning. Jack said the further he went the better he got. In fairness he was gutsy and galloped the whole way to the line. He probably wants two and a half miles, but with the conditions we decided to come here.
“He is down the pecking order for Cheltenham, but I’m sure there are races to be won with him and we might look for a rated novice next.”
Henry de Bromhead’s Radiator Springs then won the Kilsheelan Mares Maiden Hurdle as the 15-8 joint-favourite under Darragh O’Keeffe.
“I’m delighted for the lads (South Ros Racing Syndicate) who have been great supporters of ours and had Annexation with us previously,” said De Bromhead.
“We’ve always had a bit of luck, thankfully, and fair play to Colin Bowe who recommended this mare to us. She wasn’t overly expensive, so it’s great.
“It is nice to see her back up her first run for us and we’ll see what the handicapper thinks and see from there.”