Maughreen will go straight to Cheltenham after dazzling at Punchestown
Trainer Willie Mullins Photo: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
Willie Mullins looks set to send star mare Maughreen straight to the Cheltenham Festival after she was a handsome winner at Punchestown on Monday.
The daughter of Walk In The Park was making just her second appearance on track and a debut over hurdles and landed a fine victory in two-mile and three furlong contest on Monday, appearing to tire towards the end but picking up after the final flight to see off the challenge of Dee’s Lady.
Maughreen was cut into an 11/4 favourite with BoyleSports, who offer the latest Cheltenham odds, for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March and Closutton maestro Mullins was very pleased with what he saw from the six-year-old.
Mullions was speaking to Racing TV, who offer the latest Cheltenham free bet offers, and said: “We had to make our own running and I was very happy, she jumped very well. I am very happy with her but you never know the first time out, some horses get stage fright and that was only her second run on the racetrack.
“When you're taking on horses with experience, racing experience, it is huge and she was able to overcome all that and jumped well. She made one or two novice mistakes but I thought she was good.
“She was tired going to the last but Paul [Townend, jockey] said once the other mare came up behind her she was taking off again.
“I am hoping for plenty of improvement from this. We just need to keep her sound, we probably won’t get another run into her and she’ll just go straight to Cheltenham but she will see how she will come out of this race first.”
Maughreen’s win was part of a treble on the Punchestown card for Mullins, who also landed victories with Karbau and Port Joulain.
Karbau holds entries in both the Supreme and the Turners at the Festival and his performance took his trainer a bit by surprise at Punchestown.
“I wasn’t expecting that, I was hoping he might win,” Mullins added.
“Was it Naas he ran? He was just so free that day and something took him on and didn't get a breather. But today, he was ready and well and I loved the way he jumped and how he stayed on galloping right through the line so that was no bother for him.”
