Spindleberry lights up the Grade 1 WillowWarm Gold Cup Willie Mullins held a strong hand in the WillowWarm Gold Cup and duly landed the Fairyhouse Grade 1 prize with Spindleberry scoring in decisive fashion in the hands of his nephew Danny. Paul Townend made the running on stablemate and 7/4 favourite Champ Kiely while the other fancied Closutton runner Ile Atlantique made an early exit when unseating Patrick Mullins at the third. Spindleberry made headway entering the straight and was shaken up by Danny Mullins to lead after two out and soon asserted. The 3/1 chance kept on well on the run-in to score by four and a half lengths from Firefox, with Champ Kiely dropping away to finish a further six lengths back in third. Willie Mullins said, “She shows a real liking for this place. I thought Danny gave her a lovely ride. “Whether she goes on to Punchestown or not we’ll have a look at the programme and see how things are. “She’s a nice mare for the future and I think she should be well able to go out to three miles next season. “I was a little disappointed with Champ Kiely, but I think he was having to avoid the loose horse and may have taken his eye off it.”
