IT’S BEEN A dramatic day at Leopardstown in the Grade One races with odds-on favourite Min beaten in the stewards’ room while Whiskey Sour with David Mullins on board triumphed after the two leading horses fell at the last.
The Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle was an extraordinary race. Favourite Mengli Khan ran out through the wing and unseated jockey Jack Kennedy at the second last, leaving Patrick Mullins on Sharjah and Paul Townend on Real Steel to seemingly battle it out.
But both horses came down at the last and that allowed another Willie Mullins trained horse to claim victory through Whiskey Sour (9/1).
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Before that Mullins thought Min had won the Paddy’s Rewards Club Steeplechase but a steward’s inquiry followed and Min was relegated to second behind the 16/1 shot Simply Ned.
The Nicky Richards trained horse was awarded the race after Min was adjudged to have caused significant interference.
Min, with Paul Townend on board, made all the running before Mark Walsh and Simply Ned challenged after the last.
“You don’t want to win a Grade One like that but I felt with a clear run I’d definitely have won,” Walsh told RTÉ after the race.
“He (Min) impeded me the whole way up to the line. I jumped the last behind Paul (Townend) but there was plenty of room.
“When the rail came Paul started leaning on top of me and there was a significant bang quite close to the line. He broke the line and was impeded really badly.”
Despite that disappointment, trainer Mullins did claim a treble today. Aside from Whiskey Sour’s victory, he had winners in the opener with the favourite Mr Ajudicator (5/4) and with Carefully Selected (3/1) in the last race.
Gordon Elliott’s Tycoon Prince (3/1) took victory in the second race of the day, Henry De Bromhead saw Trainwreck (4/1) win the Paddy Power ‘You Beauty’ Handicap Hurdle and Tony Martin’s Anibale Fly (14/1) claimed the spoils in the Paddy Power Steeplechase.
Leopardstown Day 2 Results
12.10
1. Mr Ajudicator (5/4 fav)
2. Room To Roam (50/1)
3. Kuraka (11/2)
12.40
1. Tycoon Prince (3/1)
2. Bunk Off Early (6/4 fav)
3. Le Martalin (3/1)
1.15
1. Simply Ned (16/1)
2. Min (2/7 fav)
3. Ordinary World (12/1)
1.50
1. Whiskey Sour (9/1)
2. Le Richebourg (8/1)
3. Hardline (25/1)
2.25
1. Trainwreck (4/1)
2. Ben Dundee (7/2 fav)
3. Lion In His Heart (25/1)
3.00
1. Anibale Fly (14/1)
2. Ucello Conti (25/1)
3. Squuouateur (4/1 fav)
3.35
1. Carefully Selected (3/1 jt fav)
2. Mount Pelier (10/1)
3. Captain Cj (7/1)
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