Mullins wins opener with Triumph contender

The Willie Mullins trained Dicosimo made an impressive winning Irish debut in the opening Nugent Spirit 25 Horsebox Hurdle at Gowran today and in the process effectively booked his ticket for the Cheltenham Festival.

Ridden by Ruby Walsh, the French bred winner was challenged strongly by Prussian Eagle at the second last but found bundles of stamina once Walsh asked him to lengthen. Dicosimo then took Prussian Eagle's measure in a matter of strides and went on to beat that rival by seven and a half lengths.

Afterwards Mullins stated "from what I could see he missed out two or three hurdles but he'll gallop all day. The Grade 1 (at Leopardstown, in Feburary) will probably come too soon but he'll be aimed at the Triumph Hurdle.

"His pedigree suggests that he'll stay all day, and I'd expect him to improve from here. I thought he was beaten when the other horse came to him but he went on again the same as he did when winning in France."

Dicosimo was later cut to 16/1 (from 20/1) with Betfair, 20/1 (from 33/1) with Boylesports and introduced at 16/1 with Ladbrokes and Paddy Power for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Visibility at the track was adversely affected by thick fog but, in a repeat of scenes at Thurles in December, production company Iris, much to their credit, relayed pictures through a mobile camera.

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee