Boru battles gamely for father & son team Battling Boru got off the mark on his sixth start over fences as he claimed the Captain Byerley Beginners Chase under Danny Mullins for his father Tony. The victorious nine-year-old son of Brian Boru raced mainly in second as Mustradrik attempted to make all. Mustradrik looked set to score away from the last but Battling Boru had other ideas as he kept on stoutly up the hill, getting to the front inside the final 100 yards before going on to score by three lengths. The Gordon Elliott trained Mustradrik (10/3) had to settle for second under Keith Donoghue, while the 3/1 favourite Hurry Kitty was a further half a length back in third under Sean Flanagan for Liz Doyle. The winner was available at 7/1 last night but he opened on-course at just 9/2 before going off a well-backed 7/2 chance in the colours of the Shoot A Hoop Syndicate. Tony Mullins said afterwards: "He has won in Sligo, Navan, Galway and Downpatrick. He loves an uphill finish but when we try him beyond two and a half or two miles five it doesn't seem to work. "His jumping is natural. He might have some days in staying chases. When he meets the rising ground he picks up. He'll go to Galway now for a handicap." "A bad month has ended well." Mullins lost Balinaboola Prince at Punchestown yesterday while an unraced horse in his yard also suffered a fatal injury recently. STEWARDS REPORTS * M.P. Butler, rider of Deadly Catch trained by P.J. Rothwell, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount slipped into the third last fence and unseated him. * M.P. Fogarty, rider of Drumhart trained by C.A.McBratney, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount was pulled up after the saddle had slipped in running. Additional reporting by Michael Graham
