The grey Princess Zoe and Ladybank share the spoils © Photo Healy Racing
Princess Zoe had to share the headlines on her jumping debut as the popular grey dead-heated with Ladybank in the Bar One Racing Mares Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon.
The Group 1 winning mare went to post 5/4 second favourite in the two-and-a-half mile contest and was soon disputing under Danny Mullins.
He let his father Tony's star performer hit the front after three flights and she looked to have things under control turning for home.
She flattened the last flight though and was joined on the run-in by 40/1 shot Ladybank.
There was nothing between the pair in the closing stages and the judge couldn't split them at the line.
10/11 favourite Pink In The Park could finish only fifth.
Afterwards Tony Mullins was pleased with the effort of Paddy Kehoe's mare and confirmed that the Mares Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham would be the next port of call:-
“We're very happy with her. Danny said he thought she was a little guessy on her own at one or two of them.
“At the moment we're thinking of the mares novice at Cheltenham but it's not definite. It looks the logical way as opposed to the Albert Bartlett.
“I thought she was a little gassy having not run for a while. That might have emptied her a little.
“We had all her work done at home but she needs that run to bring her to herself. I'm hoping we'll go straight to Cheltenham now.
“Danny said when she was gassy early on he'd let her go to the front and then she just had nothing with her. I think it was a very good performance to jump out and make all.
“I'm surprised that Danny said he thought, maybe because she was gassy early, that she didn't quite get home.
“I'm very happy with her. She's taken to jumping and she's brave, usually they might be ducking at hurdles but she didn't do any of that.
“I don't think she'll run again before Cheltenham.”
On the long term future he added:- “Paddy has always said to me that as long as she's able to run that breeding is only secondary to him. Who am I to complain!
“It's great for the likes of me because we'll never have the likes of her again. She's just a great mare.
“Something did happen last year (on the Flat), we never noticed in her work but maybe Kyprios is such a powerhouse that it emptied her.
“Every time we thought we were going to get back and show him but we never did. I'd say Kyprios is one of the all-time greats, that's what I think. We might have another go at him.”
Paddy Power made Princess Zoe a 16/1 shot (from 33/1) for the Mares Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham.
