Wicklow Brave and Frankie Dettori hold off Order Of St George and Ryan Moore© Photo Healy Racing
Record-breaking National Hunt trainer Willie Mullins struck at Classic level as last year's third Wicklow Brave (11/1) overturned the form with the 2015 victor Order Of St George to win the Group 1 Palmerstown House Estate Irish St. Leger at the Curragh.
It was a great ride from the front by Frankie Dettori (first Irish Leger) on Wicklow Brave, and in the straight it was apparent that 7s on chance Order Of St George would struggle to bridge the gap.
He was inclined to lug in behind, and though he eroded the deficit inside the last he was still half a length down at the finish.
They left Trip To Paris sixteen lengths back in third.
Dettori famously partnered Willie's late father Paddy's Irish Oaks heroine, Vintage Tipple, to victory here in 2003.
Mullins won 30 Grade 1 contests in 2014-15, a world record for a single season, and after a win today down at Listowel too with Westerner Lady he said: "Ruby (Walsh) rode him in his last bit of work and he said there may not be anything to make the running. We have been holding him up all our lives and he often doesn't produce what it looks like he will.
"Hopefully it will be the Melbourne Cup next. That has been the plan all year as the pace and the ground will suit."
About Wicklow Brave for the Melbourne Cup it's 20/1 (from 33/1) with Paddy Power and Betfair & introduced at 20/1 with Boylesports.
(AM & EM)
