Predators Gold, right, comes to claim Milo Lises © Photo Healy Racing
A pair of Willie Mullins representatives fought out the business end of the Goffs Defender Bumper in Punchestown with Predators Gold wearing down Milo Lises to bring up a four-timer on the card for the trainer.
Milo Lises found for Jody Townend in front on the rail but Patrick Mullins got serious with Predators Gold inside the final furlong and his partner got his head in front in the final 100 yards. From there, the duo won going away by two lengths at 4/1 from the 10/1 runner-up. Western Fold (20/1) was a length and three-quarters away in third.
Willie Mullins said: “He’s improved so much in the last ten days. The last few bits of work he just improved enough to run, but I didn’t dream that he’d be good enough to win.
“I love when a horse shows me something out of the ordinary that he hasn’t been showing me at home.
“He’s by Masked Marvel and they are probably more stayers than speed horses. He’s got lots of stamina and grinded it out to the end.
“I thought Jody had the race in the bag turning for home and when Patrick got down to ride this fellow, the Masked Marvel came out in him — stamina, stamina, stamina.”
Jockey Mullins added: "I wasn't sure (if he was going to get there), at home there wasn't much between them.
"The other horse (Milo Lises) probably held the more forward pedigree, but I just liked the shape of this fella. I thought he was maybe the more National Hunt type of the two which, paradoxically, isn't what you want to win this race, but I chanced him.
"He's a very relaxed ride, the other horse can be a little bit keen in front at home. Having a horse that relaxes is a big advantage in a rough race like that.
"Mikey Fogarty sat on this fella last week and he told me this was the one, Mikey would be a fair judge.
"Thankfully, we got the best of that pesky Jody Townend this time!
The Mullins four-timer - Facile Vega 4/6f, Bialystok 14/1, Energumene 2/7f and Predators Gold 4/1 - paid just shy of 160/1.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
