Fairyhouse review: French Made wins for Willie Mullins

The Willie Mullins-trained filly had finished behind Gardens Of Babylon and Coeur Sublime when eighth in the Triumph Hurdle on what was only her second start over jumps.

Having learnt from that experience, French Made (6-1) knuckled down at the business to end to score by half a length from Gardens Of Babylon, the pair pulling 14 lengths clear of Coeur Sublime.

"I was hoping that we might get her placed today," said Mullins.

"Chatting to Ruby before the race, we both thought she stayed and I said 'if you can get her to jump over the first few hurdles and be up there in the first three'.

"Her form in France showed that she was always staying on and it looked like she wanted a further trip.

"That was the plan and we were hoping she's stay on to be third or fourth, but she stayed on to win.

"She's tough and obviously doesn't need a lot of training because she's just naturally fit I'd say.

"That opens a lot of doors. We'll look at Punchestown and she's one that will definitely go back to France for the meetings in May and June."

Rashaan revels again

Rashaan pulled out all the stops to take the Grade Two honours in the Keelings Irish Strawberry Hurdle.

The seven-year-old has been a great servant for trainer Colin Kidd and delivered the goods style in great style.

Produced in the centre of the course by Davy Russell to hit the front between the last two flights, Rashaan (16-1) kept on determinedly to score by a length and a half from Not Many Left with Off You Go just a nose away in third place.

Kidd was delighted Rashaan had bounced back to form after a disappointing spell that included refusing to races over fences.

"He's back to life. A lot of people were very quick to write him off after what happened in the Drinmore, but it was just one of those things. I said on the day it was probably the cheekpieces," said Kidd.

"He probably lost his bottle a bit over hurdles. We brought him back and gave him a couple of spins on the Flat and his third in the Red Mills Hurdle over a trip half a mile too short for him was a good run I felt.

"We gave him a blow out in Clonmel last Thursday evening. Two and a half miles on good ground is his optimum I think.

"He won a Grade Three juvenile hurdle here a few years ago. To still have him sound and come back and win a Grade Two on National day here is super.

"I was very hopeful when they had jumped two or three hurdles and I saw him travelling as sweet as he was.

"Some days he can be a bit flat early on in a race, but he was just travelling so well throughout the race. When they straightened up for the second last, I said he's going to come home well anyway, as he always does.

"The fun that we are getting out of him, and I think that win today brings him up to nearly a quarter of a million in prize-money, so it's unbelievable."

Jett jumps rivals silly

Jett jumped his rivals into the ground to run out an emphatic winner of the Grade Two Devenish Chase.

The eight-year-old had not won for 14 months, but put that right with a superb performance to give trainer Jessica Harrington a double after the earlier victory of The Holy One.

Robbie Power made his intentions clear from the outset by dictating affairs on Jett, who enjoyed himself in front.

Jett (7-1) kept up the gallop and his good jumping to cross the line four and three-quarter lengths clear of The Storyteller.

"We've finally got the key to him. He didn't get hassled going around there," said Harrington.

"He looks after himself jumping and he's probably more of a three-mile horse. I'll probably keep him going during the summer now as he loves that good ground.

"Even though he's a great, big horse he loves that ground, like the whole family. He's a half-brother to Jezki, Jered, Jenari and Jetson.

"He's not in any of the graded races at Punchestown, but he's in a two-and-a-half mile handicap.

"In big handicaps he's too careful a jumper to hold his own. Even there, going to the last fence first time around, he put in a short one, he's careful.

"Robbie said he had a lot in hand and he will stay three miles. If he'd go quick enough I'd run him in the Galway Plate, but I'm not sure he'd like it. He might get a bit of confidence now."

The Holy One proves a blessing

Paddy Kennedy got The Holy One home just ahead of his brother Jack on Kuiper Belt in the Farmhouse Foods Novice Handicap Hurdle and then had to survive a stewards' inquiry.

The Holy One (20-1) took over the lead from Licklighter after the third-last flight, but was hard-pressed on the run-in and Jessica Harrington's six-year-old was all out to hold on by a neck, with Jon Ess half-a-length away.

"He drifted out a bit, but Paddy said that if he had pulled his stick through he would have hit the other horse," said Harrington.

"He battled well and I'm delighted with him. I don't know if the ground was just a bit too sticky for him or what happened in Limerick last time.

"He loves that good ground and he'll head on to Punchestown now."

Bottom-weight Maeve's Choice stuck on well for Bryan Cooper to keep Spades Are Trumps at bay by three-quarters of a length as Matthew Smith's gelding followed up a recent Ballinrobe success.

Rome keeps on winning

Sizing Rome (4-1 favourite) came out on top by a length after a ding-dong battle with Goose Man in the Fred Kenny Lifetime Service To Racing Handicap Chase.

Jim Dreaper's seven-year-old was driven right out by Keith Donoghue to take the extended three-mile prize and win for the third time in his last four starts.

"It was magic. He's big, honest, old-fashioned chaser and it took a while for the penny to drop," said Tom Dreaper, assistant to his father.

"It's great winning a length from a handicapping point of view. He's scraped home now a couple of times.

"Today was the plan but we could look at some of the summer nationals as he wants good ground."

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