SPILLANE’S TOWER PUT Grand National-winning trainer Jimmy Mangan back in the big-race winner’s enclosure after claiming the WillowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse today.
The County Cork handler saddled Monty’s Pass to win the world’s most famous steeplechase in 2003, while his only previous Grade One success came in this race five years later with Conna Castle.
The JP McManus-owned Spillane’s Tower had won two of his five previous outings over fences, including a Grade Three at Punchestown, before finding the reopposing Bloody Destiny too strong in the Flyingbolt Novice Chase at Navan four weeks ago.
Bloody Destiny was the marginal favourite to confirm his superiority at 6-4, but 7-4 shot Spillane’s Tower took his revenge in the hands of Mark Walsh, travelling strongly for much of the two-and-half-mile contest before knuckling down to score by a length and three-quarters.
Tactical Move beat his Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Blood Destiny to the runner-up spot.
Mangan said: “From day one we’ve liked this horse and he’s taken to fences really well. I’m so delighted for the lads at home in the yard, Pat Murphy rides him every day, and the McManus family for sending him to me.
“We only have about a dozen horses and most of them are pointers. This horse is only a six-year-old and his future is ahead of him. When the ground dries he’ll go home to Martinstown and next year will be the plan.
“I couldn’t see why he wouldn’t stay three miles, but that will be for next year. He’s by a great sire in Walk In The Park.
“I spoke to Jody Townend and she said the ground is a bit tacky, more so on the hurdle course than the chase, so I was happy enough.
“Willie is an incredible trainer and a gentleman into the bargain. He even wished me well before the race today and vice versa, I wished him well.”
Earlier, Jade De Grugy bounced back from a first career defeat at the Cheltenham Festival to claim an appropriate success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Honeysuckle Mares’ Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.
The five-year-old was beaten four lengths into fourth place when well fancied for the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle in the Cotswolds two and a half weeks ago and lined up back on home soil as one of 10 runners for Willie Mullins in this Grade One contest.
Carrying the Kenny Alexander colours of the great Honeysuckle, Jade De Grugy was a 7-4 favourite for the two-and-a-half-mile affair in the hands of Paul Townend.
For a moment turning for home she looked in a spot of trouble, with Townend having to get lower in the saddle, and it looked like her stablemate Spindleberry might claim top honours after she mastered Jessica Harrington’s Jetara after the second flight from home.
But to her credit, Jade De Grugy found plenty for pressure under a well-judged Townend ride and produced a big leap at the final obstacle when she needed it before pulling two and a quarter lengths clear on the run-in.
Asterion Forlonge and Sir Gerhard both made the most of having their sights lowered to provide Willie Mullins and Sean O’Keeffe with a double at Cork.
The Closutton pair finished sixth and 12th in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival less than three weeks ago, but each had far less on their respective plates on Easter Sunday.
Asterion Forlonge (1-4 favourite) faced a solitary rival in the Grade Three Bar One Racing Chase and after initially taking a lead from Lucid Dreams, asserted from before the home turn and ultimately won comfortably, by 14 lengths.
Sir Gerhard was even shorter odds for the Bar One Racing Hurdle at 1-5 and the result was never really in doubt.
Dropping a full mile in distance, the Cheveley Park Stud-owned gelding stamped his class with a 12-length victory over the long-absent Sempo.
