Belle Metal leads home Mullins 1-2 in mares maiden

Willie Mullins appeared to have a stranglehold on the Racing Again March 12th Mares Maiden Hurdle and so it proved with Belle Metal getting the better of stablemate and fellow 11/10 joint favourite Take Tea

Take Tea set the pace under Mark Walsh and was still in front as Belle Metal appeared to have plenty to do in third between the final two flights.

Belle Metal landed on all fours over the last but found plenty under pressure for Paul Townend to eventually score by a length and a half. Space Tourist outran odds of 80/1 when prominent throughout and, despite jumping left at the final two flights, kept on one pace to finish a length and a quarter back in third.

Townend said, “She has a bit to learn yet about jumping. I'd say the ground being dead probably helped us over two miles as she stays. It's tacky old ground and when they got at it she outstayed them.”

When asked if she had hit a flat spot he added, “She did and she wasn't helped at the time she hit it. She's not the quickest and doesn't jump the quickest but she's getting the hang of it and she'll stay further.”

(GC & AM)