'He could be better again' - plenty for Willie Mullins to look forward to as Adamantly Chosen lands holiday feature

With the spring festivals at Fairyhouse and Punchestown in mind, champion trainer Willie Mullins will have been very glad to see a return to form from high-class chaser Adamantly Chosen, who saw out the trip extremely well to land the feature 3m2f conditions chase.

The seven-year-old had not won since landing a Grade 3 novice chase at Punchestown in October 2022 and had struggled for form this season, but the small field helped him here and he showed reserves of stamina he had not been asked to produce before, staying on strongly from the last to beat the 2022 winner of this race, Roi Mage, by 14 lengths. 

The winner's stablemate and favourite Classic Getaway was a further six and a half lengths away in third, having apparently failed to stay.

Winning rider Sean O'Keeffe said: "It was a good performance. I think the horse enjoyed himself, going a gear slower than he had been in those good handicaps, and he was able to get into a nice rhythm. I rode him a bit for speed, but he showed he stays today too.

"His best form is on better ground and he was a little bit off it when we got to a soft spot on the far side, but I was able to give him a chance and he came alive when we got to the third-last and the nicer ground. Into the spring and on nicer ground, he could be better again."

A new starter at Closutton is Anna McGuinness, and she partnered her first winner over hurdles and as a professional when giving a cool ride to Perfect Pupil for old boss Stephen McConville in the first division of the 2m4f handicap hurdle. 

It was her second winner on the track, having won a bumper at Downpatrick last summer for Jimmy Lambe.

Romeo could have Aintree magic

After Its On The Line went so close in the hunter chase at Cheltenham, trainer Emmet Mullins might have revealed his horse for the Aintree Foxhunters' in a few weeks' time after Romeo Magico easily justified 1-2 favouritism in the 2m3½f hunter chase.

Winner of a hunter chase on desperate ground at Limerick over Christmas, he was even more impressive on this less testing surface, jumping very well and bolting up by 11 lengths under Dara McGill from track debutant Neo King and second favourite Global Assembly. 

McGill said: "He was very good there. He was in his comfort zone the whole way and jumped brilliantly. I won on him at Limerick and was second on him at Thurles; the ground is just not as bad out there today, and he bounces off that better ground. He's a nice one for those spring festivals.

"He should go well stepped up in trip. Emmet has talked about Aintree and maybe that's the plan." 

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