Poet Power and Patrick Mullins © Photo Healy Racing
Willie Mullins doubled up on the opening day of the meeting when Poet Power claimed the concluding bumper at Galway in good style.
The Yeats filly was easy to back on her debut, going to post a 6/1 shot, but ran out a convincing winner under Patrick Mullins. Zero Ten kicked for home heading three furlongs out in the two-miler but was chased down in the straight by Poet Power, who went on to record a three-and-a-half length victory.
“She mustn't be a bad filly. She had the mares allowance and we said we'd take our chance,”said Mullins.
“I didn't expect her to do that. There was a lot of word for Gordon's one (Boris Grishenko - 5th) and we saw Joseph's one the last day (Chess Grand Master — 2nd).
“I thought they'd be hard to beat and would have been quite happy coming home in third place.
“She was a winner from a long way out. He just pulled her together and when she met the rising ground she climbed very well.
“The dam is a half-sister to Strong Platinum and it just shows you that pedigree will out.
“I didn't think she was that good but she's obviously better on the racetrack than she is at home. She works quite well but it's hard to think you're going to come to Galway and win a bumper first time out with one like that.
“I'd imagine she'll have to go for a winners bumpers at the middle or end of August. We'll let her recover from this first.”
The winner for a first runner for the Whitegrass Racing Syndicate. The syndicate is headed by Liam Cullinane and has 15 members, most from Ferbane in County Offaly.