Brave adds to Mullins' novice options

Willie Mullins and Paul Townend suffered a couple of odds-on reverses elsewhere on the card but made no mistake in the McCarthy Insurance Group Maiden Hurdle as Wicklow Brave got his jumping career off to an impressive start.

The Beat Hollow gelding was sent off the 2/5 favourite here having won three times in bumpers – at the Galway and Listowel Festival meetings and the Super Sunday fixture at Tipperary in October.

The progressive five-year-old looked head and shoulders above the opposition here, and proved the point with a smooth success. Synchronicity did attract some support in the market (13/2 this morning and sent off the 4/1 second favourite) but had no answer to the 2/5 favourite from two out.

Townend could take it very easy on Wicklow Brave as the hot-pot drew clear in effortless fashion on the run-in to beat his chief market rival by seven lengths. Street Party who kept on from off the pace under Martin Ferris on his hurdling debut to finish a further eight lengths adrift in third, attracted the attention of the stewards but a running and riding enquiry was referred on as trainer Julie Cashin was not at the track.

“It sounded very good from listening to the commentary!” commented trainer Willie Mullins after arriving at the track just after the race.

Mullins added, “On his bumper form we hoped he’d do that. He jumped well, and we’ll find a nice novice hurdle for him now. I was surprised but delighted that they raced, and all the money that was spent on the track over the years is paying off.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes