On-song Acapella gains consecutive Bobbyjo wins

Acapella Bourgeois registered wins in consecutive renewals of the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse today, helping Champion Trainer Willie Mullins complete his own sixth consecutive win in the Grade 3 race.

Lumbered with the 'future star' tag in 2017, Acapella Bourgeois more recently twice chased home dual Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo at Tramore's New Year's Day fixture and today beat another stablemate, 2019 Irish National winner Burrows Saint to notch an eighth lifetime win.

The 6/4 favourite was Mullins' ninth winner in the last 11 renewals of the race and he later revealed “I was telling the owner before the race that he wasn't improving as an 11-year-old, but maybe I'm wrong!”

He added “I thought the younger horse (runner-up Burrows Saint) might prove the one today so I'm surprised that he was able to do that today, and do it so well. I'm delighted with him.

“Both of them love Fairyhouse; Burrows Saint will go for the (English) National now and Acapella is in it too. I'd say they'll both be Aintree bound.

“Burrows Saint needs to improve but I still think he has that improvement in him and the winner is holding his form, which I'm very happy to see.

“Acapella Bourgeois looked like he was really enjoying it compared to Gowran. I didn't think he'd be going for another handicap at 11 years of age but that's what it looks like at the moment.

“I'm not sure Burrows Saint was really in love with that ground, it was very testing dead ground. I think once he gets livelier spring ground we'll see a different horse, hopefully we do anyway.”

Quotes from Gary Carson