Maughreen strengthens Cheltenham Festival claims with maiden victory at Punchestown

The daughter of a half-sister to top-class performer Faugheen, Willie Mullins' representative was already the general 4/1 favourite for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham going into the race and was consequently sent off at 4/11 on her belated seasonal debut in the 50,000 BetVictor Graduation Bonus Series Mares Maiden Hurdle.

Paul Townend sent the six-year-old bumper winner to the front early on and she was closely followed by Gordon Elliott's Familiar Dreams under Sam Ewing.

They quickened the pace after the third-last and, whereas Familiar Dream's jumping didn't hold up, Maughreen put in a big leap two-out. She was still going nicely on the bridle straightening for home and sauntered away from Familiar Dreams before a slightly awkward jump at the last forced Townend to get a little more serious in the saddle.

Dees Lady (14/1) stayed on at the finish to grab second and get within five lengths of Maughreen, but the winner had plenty in hand and Paddy Power subsequently trimmed her antepost price to 3/1 for Cheltenham in March.

“I thought it was a huge performance for a mare having only her second run, against the experience that Familiar Dreams had,” said Mullins.

“She went out and made her own running, jumped from hurdle to hurdle. She made one or two little mistakes and got a bit close at the last, but Paul was happy to let her fiddle that. She learned.

“I’m not sure we’ll any more chances to give her a run between now and Cheltenham, we’ll see. Looking at that I don't think she’ll need one. She should improve, I’m hoping she’ll improve from that. She took a blow and she was idling.

“All roads lead to Cheltenham.”

Earlier on, Mullins and Townend also unleashed another potentially high-class novice as Karbau won the 50,000 BetVictor Graduation Bonus Series Maiden Hurdle.

Also sent straight to the front, the 1/2 favourite quickened nicely to score by 16 lengths from 25/1 chance Captain Ryan Matt, with the winner's stablemate Zillow (100/30) back in third.

Karbau was cut to 20/1 by the sponsors for the Sky Bet Novices' Hurdle, the opening race of the Cheltenham Festival on March 11.

Mullins said: “That was a nice performance. He learned a lot from the first day and put it to good use.

“He was taking about half a length out of most of them (at his hurdles). I’m very pleased with him.

“He’s in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ and the Turners at Cheltenham. He’s a forward going type and he likes to race and jump."

The jockey and trained completed a hat-trick on the card when Port Joulain (11/10 favourite) won the Festival Flexi Ticket Is Back (C & G) Maiden Hurdle by two and a quarter lengths from 9/4 second-favourite Sermandzarak.

"At last, he’s improving that fella. He’s probably not the simplest horse to ride, he’s very fussy with his mouth and we might try and sort that out,” Mullins said.

“Paul said when he got down and rode him he went straight for him and he was happy, but he has a very tender mouth.

“He’ll possibly be better going left-handed. I don’t know where we’ll go, he might be more Fairyhouse/Punchestown (rather than Cheltenham) but they are two right-handed tracks. He could make the top grade as a chaser.”

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