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Gary Carson
Fusil caps fantastic weekend for Mullins
Fleur Au Fusil and Jody Townend
© Photo Healy Racing
Fleur Au Fusil capped a terrific weekend for Wille Mullins when giving him winner number nine in the Coolmore NH Sires 'Hurricane Lane' EBF Mares Bumper.
Jody Townend went on leaving the back straight on the 10/1 shot and she answered every call when asked for an effort turning for home to land the spoils in the Grade 2 contest.
The Kapgarde mare galloped on strongly in the closing stages to post a two-and-a-half length win over Switch From Diesel
It was a second career success for the six-year-old who had made an impressive winning debut at Naas in November. Stablemate Aurora Vega the 5/6 favourite, finished fourth.
Mullins said:- “Jody was excellent on the mare and it’s fantastic for Paddy Reilly (owner) — we could get a bar of a song!
“She was very keen and Jody said she relaxed when she got to the front. She has a lovely stout French pedigree.”
Looking back on the weekend he added:-
“It’s absolutely extraordinary the quality of the winners. You come here hoping and some fancied ones were beaten and other horses stepped in.
“I have to thank all our owners and our staff. The weather we’ve had this winter has been horrendous and they have been fantastic to keep the show on the road and keep them all ridden out.
“If I had to name one that stands out it would be Galopin Des Champs. He made his own running and then it looked like there was a race on between the second last and the last but once he got over the last he was outstanding.”
(Quotes by Alan Magee)