No Doubt for Dare at Naas

She faced seven geldings with the defection of her stable companion Day Of A Lifetime (stone bruise) and Monastrell and with Paul Townend taking over from Emmet Mullins on Dare To Doubt she put her rivals to the sword from the front in the Grade 2 paddypower.com Novice Hurdle. The daughter of King's Theatre was completing a treble for her trainer Willie Mullins and Townend, adding to their earlier gains through Johnny McGeeney and Golden Silver at Naas.

Backed from 4/1 into 7/2, the Jim Ennis-owned Dare To Doubt opened up a race winning advantage two out and she kept on well to see off Prima Vista (who came from behind without ever having a chance with the winner) by five lengths.

Mullins said: "That was a good contest and she is improving all the time. There is a big mares race in Limerick on the Sunday before Cheltenham (the Listed Kerry Group E.B.F. Mares Novice Hurdle on March 13th) and she'll probably go there.

"We'll keep her at home as her style of racing (front-running) mightn't suit going over there (Cheltenham)."

Favourite Darwins Fox made a mistake at the second and he ended up finishing last. He was later found to have a respiratory tract infection.