Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle |
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| Grade 1, Leopardstown 13:50 €85,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m, Class 1  |
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| Wednesday 27th December 2017 | |
1 Whiskey Sour 9/1
2 Le Richebourg 8/1
3 Hardline 25/1
7 ran Distances: 19l, 1l, 52l
Time: 4m 0.50s (slow by 15.50s)
Drama as Whiskey Sour wins an eventful Grade 1
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Whiskey Sour won an incredible renewal of the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.
Favourite Mengli Khan appeared to be dictating matters approaching the second-last until the Royal Bond winner dived through the wing and unseated Jack Kennedy.
That left Paul Townend in front on Real Steel, although he was joined by his stablemate Sharjah, whose rider Patrick Mullins appeared more confident than Townend,
But once Mullins asked his mount for a big leap he took a crashing fall, while Real Steel also hit the deck independently.
Advertising Willie Mullins' strength in depth, yet another Closutton inmate picked up the pieces as dual Galway Festival winner Whiskey Sour came home unchallenged under David Mullins.
It had been an eventful afternoon for Willie Mullins, whose Min lost the Paddy's Rewards Club Chase to Simply Ned in the stewards' room.
"I've never seen anything like that," said the trainer.
"I was just waiting for them to bring down our third runner, which would have really capped off the day, but it just shows you've got to be in these races.
"Whiskey Sour was definitely the fourth of ours coming into this and he ends up winning it! It was just an extraordinary race.
"I said to David, 'How did you miss all those horses?', and he said, 'It's lucky he's small'.
"He's probably the smallest horses in the yard. It was a lucky win, end of story.
"It was an extraordinary race and I don't know what to take from it."
David Mullins said: "The plan was to drop him in but he fell asleep on me.
"I'd say the earplugs have done the trick for him and he'll be a lot sharper the next day. They went a right good gallop."
All horses and jockeys were reported to be fine in the aftermath.
The Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle
2m , Race Value: €85,000, Grade 1
7 ran
Going: Yielding, Soft in places
| Pos | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Whiskey Sour (IRE) 9/1 | D J Mullins 11-7 |
W P Mullins | 4 | |
| 2nd | 19 | Le Richebourg (FR) 8/1 | B J Geraghty 11-7 |
Joseph P O'Brien | 4 |
| 3rd | 1 | Hardline (IRE) 25/1 | D N Russell 11-10 |
G Elliott | 5 |
| 4th | 52 | Makitorix (FR) 33/1 | Alexis Poirier 11-7 |
W P Mullins | 4 |
| F | Real Steel (FR) 11/4 | P Townend 11-7 |
W P Mullins | 4 | |
| F | Sharjah (FR) 8/1 | Mr P W Mullins 11-7 |
W P Mullins | 4 | |
| RO | Mengli Khan (IRE) Evsf | J W Kennedy 11-7 |
G Elliott | 4 |
