More history created by Willie Mullins with 113,999-1 eight-timer across the two Sunday cards

What can you possibly say about Willie Mullins that hasn't already been said? Well, this is the first time we could say he trained eight winners in a day after an incredible 113,999-1 eight-timer saw him beat his previous best of seven last Christmas. 

Not only did he win the two Grade 1s on the Fairyhouse card, but he also won three other races along with them. 

While Ashroe Diamond and Flame Bearer were brilliant in the feature races, perhaps it was the performance of Nick Rockett in the Grade 2 Paddy Kehoe Suspended Ceilings Novice Hurdle that would have surprised Mullins most as he watched on from his Closutton home. 

The lightly-raced six-year-old was beaten in a bumper at the track in December but is three from three since then and he powered home to score by 15 lengths under Danny Mullins. He had some good horses behind him too. 

Assistant trainer David Casey said: "We thought he had improved a bit from Naas but we weren't sure what to expect as he was always going to improve with time.

"Danny said he improved a lot more than he thought he would and he put up a very good performance. He travelled super and jumped great. We always had him down as a horse for the future for jumping fences. I think the best is ahead of him."

Paddy Power introduced Nick Rockett into their 2024 Turners Novices' Chase market at 20-1. 

Mullins also dominated the finish to the Grade 2 Cafe En Seine Novice Hurdle as Hercule Du Seuil somehow managed to sustain a relentless gallop to fend off his better-fancied stablemate Hunters Yarn by a length and three-quarters. 

It was the middle leg of a 175-1 treble for Mark Walsh and JP McManus. 

Walsh only returned after a few weeks off through injury on Saturday and now has five winners in 48 hours. 

"It was a good performance as I thought he'd gone fast enough up front and it looked like they might swallow him up turning in, but Mark said he got a good breather into him between the fourth- and third-last and he toughed it out well," said Casey. 

Dinoblue, the final leg of the Walsh treble, was a fortunate winner of the BoyleSports Novice Handicap Chase as Whiskeywealth looked to have her measure when he crashed out at the last. 

Walsh kicked off his afternoon by winning the opening Ryan's Cleaning Maiden Hurdle on Golf Marin, the 10-1 shot continuing the rich vein of form of Tony Martin.

Brighter ending

Following the sad loss of Mighty Potter, there was a scintilla of consolation for Gordon Elliott in the concluding Tattersalls Ireland George Mernagh Memorial Sales Bumper as the perhaps aptly named Brighterdaysahead extended her unbeaten record under Harry Swan. 

Brighterdaysahead is a half-sister to Mighty Potter and confirmed the good impression she created on her debut at Gowran Park to win emphatically in the familiar colours of Gigginstown House Stud.

Elliott said: “Everyone is very upset after Mighty Potter but on a brighter note this is a seriously good mare. It's bittersweet, but she's a mare we can look forward to over the summer. That'll be her for the season now and you won’t see her again until next spring.”

Warrior in control

There was no tougher winner all afternoon than the Oliver McKiernan-trained Kilbree Warrior, who set a ferocious pace in the Cawley Furniture Novice Handicap Hurdle but managed to keep going and never saw another rival on the way to a 16-length success under Richie Condon. 

McKiernan said: "She did it well and it's a little bit unexpected. She was in great form at home but in that kind of handicap at a festival meeting I wasn't expecting her to win.

"We said we'd do the same thing with her, leap her out and travel and see if she was going to stop. She's happy doing that and so is the jockey, so why change?"

'I genuinely can't put it into words, it's surreal' - Ashroe Diamond sparkles for jubilant racing club  

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