Mullins pondering Stayers' Hurdle route for Gaelic Warrior after impressive Punchestown performance

The step up to a few yards short of three miles proved no problem for Gaelic Warrior, who put up an impressive performance to land this Grade 1 contest, a third one of the week for Willie Mullins.

There were a few questions to be answered by a horse who had been good enough to dismiss his rivals over two miles under topweight in the ultra-competitive Liffey Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown in February, and how he would cope over this longer trip was the main one. 

He settled beautifully at the back of the field for Paul Townend, although the race did not go to plan as he was caught in a pocket for most of the last half-mile. That would have scuppered the chance of a lesser horse but the gears he showed to get to the front once he got a clear run and then put ten lengths between himself and Albert Bartlett runner-up Affordale Fury did not even do full justice to his superiority.

Mullins said: “The trip was a big help to him. I thought the ground was a help too but Paul didn't. Paul was ice cool behind a wall of horses waiting for the gap to come and he produced him at the right time. He must come into Stayers' Hurdle territory after that. He has the option of going chasing but we'll have a good look at staying over hurdles. I'd say he has Stayers' Hurdle written all over him, but we'll get him home and have a think about it.”

Paddy Power cut the winner to 8-1 (from 20) for the Cheltenham Festival prize in March.

A few thoughts must be spared for Noel Meade and connections of Affordale Fury as the Albert Bartlett runner-up had to settle for second place in another Grade 1, but the trainer said: “I think the winner is very special. I'm proud of my fellow, I think he has run his race. 

"He had a hard race at Cheltenham and you never fully know how they will come out of it. Maybe he could have finished a little closer had he been a little fresher but he was never going to beat that fellow. He's a big leggy horse and I think he'll improve over the summer and fences will bring out the best in him. He'll go chasing next season.”

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