Royal Illusion brings up Mullins' double

Royal Illusion was very uneasy in the market but belied those fears with a comprehensive victory on debut in the Black Hills Mares Flat Race at Punchestown.

Patrick Mullins kicked clear over a furlong out and she posted a ready five and a half length victory at 7/2. She had been even money this morning and drifted out from 9/4 at the track. Wait For No One went the other way from 6/1 in the morning to an SP of 5/2 favourite but the money was lost as she could make no impression in second. Miss Aloud was a length and quarter away in third at 4/1.

Willie Mullins said: “Even though she is a six-year-old she had done very little. She was backward enough, so what she did today was on natural ability and we think she will improve. She was very green on all the turns and when Patrick got stuck into her.

“I’m not sure whether we will continue. We may put her away for next year unless this weather continues. Once the ground turns we’ll send her home.”

This gave Mullins a double as he also saddled My Sister Sarah to land the maiden hurdle on the card.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee