Elimay and Mark Walsh© Photo Healy Racing
We had a second J P McManus winner on day two of the Punchestown festival when Elimay landed the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle for Willie Mullins and Mark Walsh.
The grey was well found in the betting, going off the 5/2 market-leader, and she added to the McManus gains in race one with the Philip Hobbs-trained Musical Slave
An expensive recruit from France in November 2017 for 310,000 Euros, Elimay had Vision D’honneur well seen off when that fellow fell at the last.
On start three for Closutton Elimay was then left to account for Days Without End and her stable companion Crack Mome by seventeen lengths and nineteen lengths.
“I held my breath when Mark sent her through on the inside because she wouldn't be the fastest filly in the world,” said Mullins.
“She gallops all day and jumps very well. He just committed her, if it didn't work out I don't know where he would have ended up — through the rails I'd say. Anyway he got through and it worked out.
“Charlie Swan bought her as a chaser in France because she's such a good jumper but she's not the biggest so we said we'd hold off for a year and maybe go chasing next season. We'll see now after that race where we go.
“I'll have a chat with Frank and JP and see what they want to do. There are hurdle races to be won with her still.
“She could go back to France. They could decide they want to go chasing straight away also and there could be mares chases there if we keep getting this broken weather and the ground is nice.
“I'd imagine she'll go to France but the only thing is that JP doesn't run too many over there and he's inclined to get them back and put them on grass. Because of the type of filly she is we might let her travel but we'll see and it will be up to him to decide.”
Paddy Power go 33/1 about Elimay for the Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2020.
Rachael Blackmore, rider of Paloma Blue trained by Henry de Bromhead, reported to the Clerk of Scales that her mount hung left throughout this race.
(GC & EM)
