The controversial Mantles Prince bounced back from illness to score a well-backed success at Navan yesterday and will now be aimed at Friday's Shell Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.
Mantles Prince was a morning withdrawal from the £75,000 handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse last Tuesday because of colic, a move that led to some raucous criticism of the rules by a number of trainers including the association chairman Willie Mullins.
Mantles Prince incurred the mandatory five-day ban from racing because of his colic but there was certainly no sign of it yesterday as he cruised through under Fran Berry to win the Mullagh Handicap at odds of 6 to 4.
'If he'd run last Tuesday, it would have been a formality,' said the winner's trainer Pat Hughes. 'No one would believe me but I thought so. The horse had a slight colic and the vet had to treat him.'
Hughes confirmed Punchestown as the plan for Mantles Prince who appeared to blow quite hard after the race although jockey plans are not certain for the Ladbroke winner with Fran Berry waiting to appeal a ban he picked up in last Tuesday's big race.
In the meantime Berry is making hay and also scored yesterday on Regal Ash who cruised through in the Fordstown Maiden and then casually held off Caumshinaun to score by a neck.
It was appropriate compensation for Michael Halford's filly who fell at Cork last week and her trainer said: 'She was lucky she wasn't hurt. She's well bred and we'll go for some black type in a Listed at Cork next.'
Another man on the double was Curragh trainer Kevin Prendergast with the odds-on Baladeur in the first and Osprey Ridge who made all in the Kilskyre Handicap under an enterprising ride from apprentice Pat Cosgrave.
'Pleasantly surprised,' was Prendergast's verdict on the latter and his verdict on his rider was effusive, describing Cosgrave as 'a lad with a bright future who rides very well.'
Jim Bolger notched his second winner of the term with the newcomer Abikan but there was a surprise in the last when the outsider of three, Scary Spice, easily beat the odds-on Katiykha.
Belfast-born trainer Emmanuel Hughes had his first Flat winner with Jay And-A who cruised past Maghas to take the Kildalkey Handicap.
