Response completes hat-trick

Immediate Response completed a hat-trick under Patrick Mullins in the Mothers Day Weekend Handicap Hurdle, providing his father Willie with a training double having scored earlier in the afternoon with Theleze

The 11/10 favourite was confidently ridden to head Friendly Society (8/1) at the second last, and Mullins pushed her out on the run-in to beat that rival by three and a half lengths. Sir Harry Cash (16/1) kept on one paced to fill third spot another five and a half lengths adrift.

Willie Mullins said, “It was Patrick’s idea to run here as he wouldn’t have a light weight!

“Patrick thinks he might improve for better ground. He’s a horse that’s coming back from leg trouble, and we’ll see what the handicapper does.

“We were slightly worried about coming back in trip but Patrick felt after riding here yesterday that the testing ground would counteract the trip. He is owned by a few pals of Patrick, and they will think this is an easy game now!”

(Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes)