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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Ile Atlantique up and running in Ireland

Wed 28th Dec 2022, 16:08

Ile Atlantique hits the frontIle Atlantique hits the front
© Photo Healy Racing

French-import Ile Atlantique took the bumper in Leopardstown on Irish debut for Willie and Patrick Mullins.

The 4/7 favourite made progress in third with half a mile to race and was poised to strike behind Castlebawn North and Feronily straightening for home.

Feronily and Ile Atlantique took over inside the final quarter of a mile and it was the latter who edged to the front racing into the final furlong.

He finished well in the closing stages to draw two and a half lengths clear of the 9/2 runner-up. No Time To Wait was another three and a quarter lengths back in third at 7/2.

Willie Mullins said: “He’s a nice sort and is just learning on the job. He was very green turning for home and when Patrick asked him, it took a while for the penny to drop up the straight.

“I think he’s championship bumper class so he’ll be heading down that road. He’ll probably come back here for the Dublin Racing Festival.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee

About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.