Willie Mullins unveils two more Cheltenham candidates - but master trainer has Supreme reservations

Willie Mullins and the increasingly powerful owner partnership of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede began Dublin Racing Festival week with a bang when Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle entry Anotherway landed the opening 2m maiden hurdle.

The French-bred showed many of the attributes that could see him being a potent challenger in Graded company, particular his ability to gallop and to quicken, and it was just as well as he had to survive a sketchy round of jumping. 

Paul Townend took advantage of the long run between the final two hurdles to send him clear, and the winner needed no second invitation as he came home 12 lengths clear from Catena Zapata, with bold jumping front-runner Touch Me Not fading into third.

Anotherway (Paul Townend) winning the 2m maiden hurdle at PunchestownCredit: Patrick McCann

Anotherway was cut to 16-1 (from 33) with Paddy Power for the Supreme and is a best-price 33-1 with bet365, although Mullins feels he may need the longer trip of the Baring Bingham, for which he does not hold an entry.

He said: "He stayed well and galloped to the line, but his jumping left a lot to be desired. Maybe that was because of the heavy ground as he jumped a lot better at Leopardstown the first day. But at least he did today what he was showing us at home. Looking at that performance he could well be suited by a longer trip."

Stable companion Billericay Dickie, named after a song by Ian Dury And The Blockheads, made a winning hurdles debut in the 2m4f maiden hurdle when quickening clear nicely after the last under Townend to score by 11 lengths. He was cut to 12-1 (from 20) for the Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle by Paddy Power. 

"We will look at running in another novice hurdle before looking at Cheltenham," said Mullins

Ballymore starts the week off on a good note for Brassil

Martin Brassil and owners Sean and Bernardine Mulryan will be looking forward to the weekend too, as Fastorslow attempts to take the scalp of Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup for the third time, and the week could not have started better for them as JJ Slevin guided Built By Ballymore to victory in the rated novice hurdle.

The ability of this son of Flemensfirth to handle desperate ground with aplomb, demonstrated at Limerick over Christmas, was evident once again when he forged clear in the last 100 yards to score by a dozen lengths under the welter burden of 12st. 

The testing nature of the ground was borne out by Bob Cigar, who was in front coming down to the last but ended up literally walking home in last place, beaten about 200 lengths.

Brassil said: "I was delighted when I saw we were going to get Limerick ground again. He just handles the muck so well. He might not quicken up in it but he keeps going in it. I thought his rating was high enough, but he just handles that ground better than most."

Kennedy on hold

Jack Kennedy will have to wait another day for the winner to clinch his first century in a season. His main chance, Timeless Piece, was a well-beaten fourth in the 2m handicap hurdle.

Master gamble no folly 

A gamble was landed in the concluding 2m7f handicap hurdle by Folly Master, who was backed from 12-1 into 16-5 favourite, and scored for Jim Dreaper and rider Keith Donoghue.

Duggan whip ban

James Duggan was banned for ten days for using his whip with excessive frequency on fifth-placed Glenabo Bridge in the 2m4f handicap hurdle.

Read more here . . .

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