MacDermott 'learning away' under O'Sullivan Willie Mullins' MacDermott overturned recent form with Potters Party to land the Adare Manor Opportunity Maiden Hurdle in Tramore. Potters Party set out to make all over this extended 2m4f but was attended by both MacDermott and Viceregent. Viceregent gave best as MacDermott waited for his opportunity, and he pounced before the final flight. Once that was safely negotiated, he strode in by a healthy four and three-quarter lengths. Potters Party (5/6f) had no answers once passed and lost second to a staying-on Power Hour (8/1). MacDermott was 12 lengths behind Potters Party when the pair were third and fifth in a Limerick maiden hurdle at the end of last month. Jockey Michael O'Sullivan said: "It's tough work out there today, it rides a lot softer than it walks. He loved it though and kept galloping. "The plan was to pop out and go but Hugh (Morgan on Potters Party) was letting his lad roll away and I was happy to leave him on. I didn't want him getting a freebie either. "In fairness to my lad, he jumped and travelled away well. He won nicely and I'd say he will come on from it.  "He is a big horse and I just wanted to keep a hold of his head and give him a chance down around the bend. It paid off and he went to the line well, he is learning away. "He got in underneath a few hurdles the last day, but his jumping was very solid on the whole today. It's great to get another winner."  On his Grand National ride on Carefully Selected (14th), he added: "Yesterday was amazing and I've been on a high after it. He gave me a great spin around and just to complete the course was a massive thrill. "I'm so grateful to Mr Masterson and the Mullins camp for the opportunity." Mullins later added: "He is improving all the time, he wants a trip and soft ground. "I’m very pleased that he is improving. He is really a chaser in the making, a novice chaser for next year. I might get one more run into him if the ground stays right. "I just took this opportunity after all the rain that came. We didn't have any autumn weather for jumping horses and he wasn't ready then. He is a big chasing type." The Raceday Stewards interviewed H. Morgan, rider of Potters Party, concerning his use of the whip in closing stages of this race. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned. H. Morgan accepted that he was in breach of R10 and apologised for his actions. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Raceday Stewards were satisfied that H. Morgan was in breach of Regulation 10.3(g)(frequency)and having considered his record in this regard they suspended him for one raceday. Additional reporting by Donal Murphy
