Real Steel and Paul Townend jump the last © Photo Healy Racing
Real Steel powered clear in the closing stages to run out an impressive winner of the Grade 2 Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase at Thurles this afternoon, proving too strong for stable-mate Footpad
Footpad, third in the King George last time out, was sent to post an 8/11 shot for the two-and-a-half mile contest and was soon prominent.
Daryl Jacob let his mount jump to the front at the first up the back straight but he was joined turning for home by Real Steel.
The 2/1 shot was driven to lead after the second last, by Paul Townend, and pulled away from the hotpot going to the final fence.
He galloped on strongly in the closing stages to post a comprehensive 14-length winning margin.
Real Steel was last seen finishing fourth to another Willie Mullins-trained horse in Min in the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown last month.
Mullins said:- "I was disappointed with Footpad but I think he ran too free and the pace was a little bit slow.
“The two horses up front weren't jumping at the speed you'd expect in a race like this.
"Footpad did too much in the middle mile of the race and missing the omitted third last fence didn't give him a chance to get his breath back which left him exposed.
"I was very pleased with how Real Steel jumped and how he stayed on and he is improving. Voix Du Reve improved from his last run as well.
"I'd imagine the Ryanair Chase is the plan for Real Steel. Paul said he was as straight as a dye today and there was no bias (jumping left or right). We were concerned before but we have to be looking at the Ryanair Chase with that performance.
"Footpad could possibly do the same but today was not his run. Maybe he had too hard a race in Kempton and it may have impacted on him."
(Quotes by Tom Weekes)
