Drive Time eases past Kalellshan at Killarney© Photo Healy Racing
Willie Mullins kept up his sparkling form with his 12th winner in the last two weeks as Drive Time (1/4f) landed a facile victory in the Qualified Riders’ race over a mile and six at Killarney.
You have to go back to 2009 when Drive Time last raced on the flat for Jim Bolger, but his win in the Grade B Setantabet.com Handicap Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival in showed him to be in good heart for his current trainer Willie Mullins.
This evening it was only a matter of when Patrick Mullins asked the seven-year-old to go past 20/1 outsider Kalellshan This duly happened in the final furlong and he won cosily by an eased down length and three parts.
“That was a prep for the Galway Hurdle and we didn’t want to give him a hard race,” Patrick Mullins said.
“He was a stone clear of everything else there and he’ll go to Galway now in good heart.”
Drive Time's job was made easier as main market rival Whatever Jacksays was a non runner as he was cast in his box.
He is now 9/1 second favourite (from 10/1) with Stan James for the Guinness Galway Hurdle and 14/1 from 16/1 for the Ebor at York (a race his trainer won previously with Sesenta in 2009).
Patrick Mullins has now won on seven of his last 11 rides. Mart Lane stayed on nicely for third for trainer Shark Hanlon who is emerging from a lean spell.
Michael Graham (on course reporting by Alan Magee)
