Heskin lands Limerick's feature, wins on first rides for Mullins

Adrian Heskin enjoyed breakthrough wins on his first rides for Willie Mullins today, competing the Limerick double on Grade 2 McMahons Dawn Run Mares Novice Chase-winner Hauturiere (11/10jf) on a poignant spell for the jockey.

Heskin, who returned to Ireland in August having been retained jockey for trainer Tom George and to the McNeill family in the UK in recent years, began today when scoring on his first Mullins-ride on maiden hurdle winner Judicieuse Allen

Two races later Heskin and Mullins combined for doubles with Hauturiere in today's feature race, as the mare swept aside principal rival Harmonya Maker in the home straight. In testing conditions, the winner scored easily by 35 lengths from runner-up Sainte Dona which passed tiring Harmonya Maker on the run-in.

Heskin, whose grandmother passed away on Christmas Day, reported “I am very grateful to Willie for the opportunities today.

“I knew at the start of the season it wouldn't be easy to get going but I'm getting great support from a lot of smaller trainers. It is great to be getting the backing of Willie Mullins and after today's winners, it has been a good year.

“I came back in August and started riding out for Willie a couple of days after I came back. I met him at the Derby Sale during the summer, said I'd like to ride out in a bigger yard and he said he'd see how it goes.

“I've really enjoyed riding out there and hopefully there might be a few more as the season pushes on.

“Hauturiere settled well and it was lovely to get a lead around. From the third-last, I knew she was going best and I left her roll on over the last two. She really jumped them well and won as she liked. It was a good performance on that ground.

“The plan was to follow Harmonya Maker and while Sam (Ewing, her rider) tried to slow it up going to the second-last, he never got a full breather and my mare had settled and took it in her stride.”

Heskin, one-time stable jockey to Michael Hourigan and Barry Connell in his initial Irish spell, added “when I was riding here eight or ten years ago, I was riding winners for smaller trainers but those don't seem to be able to compete during the winter now. To be competitive is very hard as it is very much one or two teams dominating at the moment — you just need to ride the best horses.”