Warrior shows that handicapping is his game with impressive Wexford success

Sunday: Wexford

Willie Mullins turning up at Wexford rather than Leopardstown was enough of a clue that he had a few horses with outstanding chances at Bettyville Park's opening meeting of the season.

He had good reason to be happy, too, after he reported Energumene and all the big guns who galloped at Navan the previous day had pulled out sound and well in the morning before the intriguing handicap debutant Arctic Warrior claimed an impressive win in the feature 2m handicap hurdle.

You would be unable to tell the six-year-old had fallen twice previously after he produced a dominant front-running performance under Jody McGarvey to beat favourite Clifton Warrior by two and a half lengths, hinting that high-quality handicaps are in his future over Graded contests.

Mullins said: "It was a nice performance, Jody was very positive on him and that paid off with his jumping, especially early in the race when he set his stall out. It showed in the second half of the race.

"I think he'll progress and get confidence from that and he'll improve on better ground. We'll go up in grade slowly. After the couple of falls he had, I just think he needs to get his confidence back."

Mullins completed a double in the following 3m1½f beginners' chase when Egality Mans justified 8-15 favouritism in the hands of Danny Mullins.

However, Mullins was denied a treble in the bumper when 1-5 favourite Dancing City lost out narrowly to the Gordon Elliott-trained newcomer Three Card Brag. The result stood following a lengthy stewards' inquiry.

Brown proves too strong for Meade

Credit goes to Noel Meade for spotting an opportunity for the Mischief Syndicate-owned Mount Brown in the maiden hurdle for unplaced horses.

Having finished 22-lengths behind subsequent Grade 2 winner Flame Bearer in a Fairyhouse maiden hurdle in January, Sunday's opposition presented no problems for Mount Brown as he scooted clear under Eoin Walsh to score by four and a quarter lengths.

Walsh said: "He had a nice run the last day and stepped up again today. He handled the ground and galloped out well to the line. Hopefully he'll keep progressing."

Cromwell upsurge continues

After a treble at Navan on Saturday, Gavin Cromwell's stable continued its revival in the run-up to Cheltenham as the consistent Donnrua Dream gained his second career success in the 2m novice handicap hurdle.

The son of Sans Frontieres won narrowly from persistent-favourite Saga Aravis, but always appeared in control and scored by a neck.

Winning rider Keith Donoghue said: "He did it well. I got a lovely position through the whole race and I thought he was always holding the second horse. He's versatile enough but he's probably better on soft ground."

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