Bronn (green) leads Flame Bearer (far side) and Killer Mode at the last© Photo Healy Racing
It was, in more ways than one, a case of ‘thou shall not pass’ from Paul Townend on 1/1 fav Bronn in the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle.
In front before the home straight, the winner was inclined to jump to his right and when he again did so at the second-last Jack Doyle went for a daring run up the inner on Flame Bearer (10/3) between the final two flights.
We all know jockeys’ reactions when one of their weighing room colleagues tries this, all the more so if you are a multiple champion, and Townend quickly moved his mount back across to the inner. The winner and Flame Bearer had a right old barging match on the approach to the last where a mistake by the latter ended his chance.
Bronn still had to dig in to see off the challenge of Killer Mode (4/1) which he did by three parts of a length as Flame Bearer dropped to third on the run-in.
There was no change to the result, nor any action taken against Townend, after a stewards' enquiry.
After Blue Lord it was a double for Townend, owners Simon Munir & Isaac Souede and winning trainer Willie Mullins who said: “To me he had no business going up the inside. To do that manoeuvre you are supposed to be clear of the other horse to come back out.
“I don’t agree with having no rails but jockeys nowadays seem to want it that way. If there was a rail there wouldn't have been a problem.
“Bronn is an out and out stayer. He was very green in front and the horse in front of him in the early stages of the race was green as well. It’s hard for a maiden hurdler to be following a horse like that.
“He needs to go out in trip. He gallops and is a strong stayer.”
Quotes from Alan Magee
