Black Hercules brings up Mullins' double

Willie Mullins and Paul Townend doubled up in Cork with another short-priced favourite as Black Hercules eased home on the bridle in the two mile maiden hurdle.

Sent off at 1/6, the five-year-old was in control before the second last. He was untidy at the final hurdle, but Townend remained motionless as the pair passed the post two and a quarter lengths up on A Hardy Nailer (8/1). Real Man Of War at 20/1 took third.

Paul Townend said: “It was straightforward enough. He was clumsy at the last, but it was probably my fault. He galloped them into the ground. He jumped a bit big at times, but he’s a proper horse and stuck at it well.

“He has point-to-pointed and he’s a big scopey horse. We know he’ll jump a fence in time, but we’ll see what he can do over hurdles first.”

Black Hercules won two bumpers last season in Punchestown and Gowran Park and was fourth in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes