'I imagine they will reoppose at Cheltenham' - Willie Mullins' mares fight out an Opera Hat thriller

Only three runners lined up in the Listed Opera Hat Mares Chase but the Willie Mullins-trained pair served up a treat with second-favourite Dinoblue just holding off the challenge of Allegorie De Vassy under Mark Walsh. 

The pair went at it from some way out, separated by the width of the track, and the excitement was increased by the fact that it was very difficult to tell which mare was in front all the way to the line.

However, the winner jumped the last narrowly in front, and at the line she was still a neck in front, giving 6lb to the runner-up. Both will now reoppose in the Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, with the sponsors cutting Dinoblue to 5-2 from 100-30 for next month's Grade 2.

Mullins said: "The two of them went a great gallop and there was no hiding place, despite there only being the two of them involved. I imagine they will reoppose at Cheltenham. I'm very happy with both of them and they will meet off levels at Cheltenham. It will be interesting."

Hurling a lovely prospect

The Colm Murphy-trained Lovely Hurling won the 2m2½f maiden hurdle impressively, providing Dinoblue's owner JP McManus with the first leg of a double.

Walsh never seemed to have his mount out of second gear as he quickened away after the last to beat Autoportrait by an easy four lengths. The winner had not been seen since winning a Wexford bumper the previous May and looks a smart prospect on this evidence. 

Murphy said: "He seems to be improving and is one to look forward to. I'm not sure what the plan is, he looks like one who can step up in grade. He has only run on soft ground so I don't know how he will handle better ground, but he has plenty of size and scope. He would get you out of bed in the morning."

At least as many tongues were set wagging in this race by the Willie Mullins-trained Road To Home, who was disputing the lead under Brian Hayes when he cocked his jaw and ran out before the second-last. Not only that, he jumped a five-bar rail supporting a spur before the hurdle as if it was not there. No showjumper would have jumped a Puissance wall more cleanly.

Ryehill on the boat

An impressive performance from the Ross O'Sullivan-trained Ryehill booked his passage for the St. James’s Place Festival Hunters' Chase, with last year's runner-up in that Cheltenham Festival race, Its On The Line, in third.

Partnered by Lee Shanahan, Ryehill came back from a near-disastrous mistake at the third-last to take control between the final two fences, extending his advantage all the way to the line to score by 12 lengths from Ontheropes.

O'Sullivan said: "He qualified for Cheltenham before today. The plan was to go there and it still is, so fingers crossed. He's a homebred and there's a great gang of lads involved. 

"He took a bit of time because he is so big, but he has strengthened up well and seems to keep improving. He's a nice horse to take to Cheltenham, with hopefully an each-way squeak. He likes soft ground and the trip will be no trouble to him."

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