Drive Time (right) jumps the last alongside Marito (left) and He'llberemembered© Photo Healy Racing
The concluding race of the 2011/12 season, the Setantabet.com Handicap Hurdle at Punchestown today fittingly went the way of Drive Time (under Paul Townend), whose trainer Willie Mullins has dominated the season and, for good measure, was also responsible for the runner-up Marito
Ten of Mullins' 145 winners for the season were at this week's Festival and the five times Champion Trainer was also responsible for ten second placings, many of whom were scuppered by stablemates!
After Drive Time's win, Mullins said “they are two nice horses. I didn't think the winner would handle the ground but I thought the other fellow would.
“We will continue hurdling with them and we could look at the Galway Hurdle for both.”
“It was been a fantastic week and there is a lot of credit due to everybody connected with the racecourse – they deserve huge credit for getting through the meeting.”