IN-FORM GETABIRD MAINTAINED his unbeaten record with a powerful display to win the Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon.
The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old featured alongside two others from the stable — Carter McKay and Makiorix — in this year’s Grade Two contest, and was the even-money favourite to take the title.
Having made an impressive debut at the track last month and with Patrick Mullins on board, Getabird led from the get-go, galloping all the way to the line to produce a stunning victory.
The Gordon Elliott-Davy Russell partnership was present through Mengli Khan, finishing second, while Getabird’s stablemate Carter McKay crossed the line in third position.
Impressive! Getabird scoots to victory in the Grade 2 Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at @punchestownrace: pic.twitter.com/oa8ow98hOF
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) January 13, 2018
Willie Mullins has saddled six of the last nine winners of this race, with three — including Vautour in 2014 and Douvan in 2015 — running to Cheltenham Festival glory later in the season.
The Champion Irish National Hunt Trainer was pleased afterwards, but kept his cards close to his chest with regards the coming weeks:
“Patrick getting down to 11st 2lb paid off!
“He jumped fantastic and way better than on his first run. I was a bit worried whether he would be able to jump at the speed they would be going here.
“He jumped out, made his own running, and jumped very well. I’m very happy to have won that race with him.
He added: “I don’t know what route we’re going to go, but you’d have to think as a Supreme Novices’ trial that he’d be good enough for that.
“The speed he showed was very good. We’re on the way up, I think. I don’t know yet if he’ll go straight to Cheltenham. We’ll see how he comes out of it.”
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