Mullins mares to go 'same direction' at Cheltenham Allegorie De Vassy had her Cheltenham odds trimmed having won Fairyhouse's featured Grade 3 BetVictor Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle today, but in truth looked second-best to wayward runner-up Brandy Love. The pair's trainer Willie Mullins ran four in the race and while Brandy Love set off to make the running under Paul Townend, she raced keenly and from the third flight onwards, surrendered ground by jumping badly to her left. Brandy Love jumped the second-last flight violently to the outside, at which point Allegorie De Vassy took the lead and went clear under jockey Sean O'Keeffe. Allegorie De Vassy was pushed out to record a three and a half lengths win but runner-up Brandy Love had also jumped left at the final flight and in the circumstances did remarkably well to finish so close. Paddy Power later cut Allegorie De Vassy to 7/2 favourite, from 9/2, for Cheltenham's mares novice hurdle in March, with Brandy Love also trimmed from 6/1 to 5s, for that same left-handed race. Following the race trainer Mullins reported “she (Allegorie De Vassy) did it well and I think she’s going to improve again. The jump she threw at the last showed what she had left in the locker. “I’d imagine she’ll go straight to Cheltenham now.” Regarding Brandy Love's left-leaning tendencies, the Champion Trainer added “the runner-up showed tendencies of that in Naas and I think going left-handed will be a big plus for her in the future. “It was a tremendous run from her, and I think both of them will go in the same direction (to Cheltenham).” Quotes from Alan Magee
