A welcome win for Travino & Mullins

Travino supplied Mags Mullins with her first winner in over a year when he showed some of his old sparkle to take the Bagenalstown Beginners Chase under Niall 'Slippers' Madden.

Always to the fore, the son of Roselier, sporting cheek-pieces and actually beaten at odds of 6/4 in the corresponding event twelve months ago, relished the very deep ground and his stamina came into play on the run-in as he fought off Woodbine Willie (wasn't overly clever two out) by a head. Brave Betsy (pulled wide and could have been better three out) was three parts of a length further back in third.

Mullins remarked: "We finally got one. I'm delighted for the owners and the ground probably helped. The point-to-points were very competitive this year and he was placed a couple of times. It is lovely to get a day with an older horse like him."

Travino was returned at 10/1 here and in his time he won the Grade 1 Barry & Sandra Kelly Memorial Novice Hurdle. Today was his first win since that December 2005 contest.