Jade De Grugy bounced back from a first career defeat at the Cheltenham Festival to claim an appropriate success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Honeysuckle Mares’ Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.
The five-year-old was beaten four lengths into fourth place when well fancied for the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle in the Cotswolds two and a half weeks ago and lined up back on home soil as one of 10 runners for Willie Mullins in this Grade One contest.
Carrying the Kenny Alexander colours of the great Honeysuckle, Jade De Grugy was a 7/4 favourite for the two-and-a-half-mile affair in the hands of Paul Townend.
For a moment turning for home she looked in a spot of trouble, with Townend having to get lower in the saddle, and it looked like her stablemate Spindleberry might claim top honours after she mastered Jessica Harrington’s Jetara after the second flight from home.
But to her credit, Jade De Grugy found plenty for pressure under a well-judged Townend ride and produced a big leap at the final obstacle when she needed it before pulling two and a quarter lengths clear on the run-in.
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Mullins said: “That was a huge performance coming back from Cheltenham, she was very tough.
“Paul didn’t think he was going well a lot of the way, but it just shows what sort of engine she has.
“It’s tough luck on Spindleberry. I thought she had it won at the last, but as we saw yesterday so many races were lost between the last hurdle and the line.
“The extra half-mile was definitely a help to her (Jade De Grugy) and she does look like a two-and-a-half-mile mare.
“I’d imagine we’ll look at Punchestown with her now.”
🏆 𝙅𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝘿𝙚 𝙂𝙧𝙪𝙜𝙮 makes it an eighth victory in the (Grade 1) Honeysuckle Mares Novices Hurdle at @Fairyhouse for the @WillieMullinsNH team. https://t.co/t2UQCFJx9q pic.twitter.com/sabNLgDbMt
— Timeform (@Timeform) March 31, 2024
Townend cool on Captain Cody
Jody Townend enjoyed the biggest day of her riding career so far after steering Captain Cody to victory in the Paddy Kehoe Suspended Ceilings Novice Hurdle.
The sister of multiple champion jockey Paul Townend, Jody has won multiple graded bumpers but not previously claimed graded success over obstacles.
Townend had been on board Captain Cody for his wins in a Limerick bumper and a maiden hurdle at Gowran Park and his owners recalled the leading female amateur for this Grade Two assignment after brother Paul sided with stablemate Anotherway.
The latter was being delivered with a major challenge when taking a crashing fall two from home, after which 17/2 shot Captain Cody came through to score by six and a half lengths from Mossy Fen Park.
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“She’s always there, rides winners all the time for us and when you consider how light she is she must have to carry a stone and a half of lead every day.”
Captain Cody was one of five winners on the card for the champion trainer, with Mirazur West leading from pillar to post in the other Grade Two, the Donohue Marquees Novice Hurdle.
Too keen to do himself justice when odds-on in a Grade Three at Naas three weeks ago, the JP McManus-owned six-year-old was more settled in the lead this time under Mark Walsh and was good value for the winning margin of four and a half lengths.
“It was a good performance. Mark changed tactics today and it seemed to make a big difference to the horse,” said Mullins.
“He likes to jump and gallop and looks tailor made for novice chasing next year. After the disappointment of Naas it was nice for him to come out and do that and we’ll look and see what’s left for him for the rest of the season.”
Team Mullins continue domination
The other Mullins winners were Rath Gaul Boy (8/11 favourite) in the Ryan’s Cleaning Maiden Hurdle, Jade De Grugy, and Kopek Des Bordes in the Tattersalls Ireland George Mernagh Memorial Sales Bumper.
The latter was the 15-8 favourite to make a successful debut in the €100,000 finale and cruised to a 13-length victory under an ultra-confident Patrick Mullins, with Nigel Twiston-Davies’ British raider Clap Of Thunder clear best of the rest.
Willie Mullins, who also enjoyed a double at Cork to take his Easter Sunday tally to seven, said: “He looks a nice type. He worked well at home and showed today that his home work was right.
“We’ll see if we go to Punchestown – maybe not as it might be too much to ask him. He’s a lovely type for the future.
“Doctor Steinberg also ran well in third and they are both nice prospects for the future.”
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