Champion Trainer Willie Mullins didn't win any of the opening eight races of the new year but quickly rectified matters when winning the feature event of the day, the Listed Holden Plant Rentals Chase at Tramore today, with Marito

Marito gave admirable chase to Hurricane Fly in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on his previous race in November and on his return to chasing, today ridden by Paul Townend, quickened well from the second last fence to see off the challenge of Grade 1 winner Roi Du Mee for a three and a quarter lengths win.

Mullins later stated “it was a lovely tactical ride from Paul and the horse had the gears in what was a slowly run race.

“I'm not sure where he'll go now as he's going to be hard to place; he might mix it between hurdles and fences and while he handles any ground, I wouldn't be keen to run him on very fast ground as he had an injury when he was younger.”

The race arguably will be remembered more as the last ride Davy Russell had in his role as Gigginstown House Stud's retained rider. His mount Roi Du Mee wasn't helped by an untidy jump at the second last fence but it mattered little to the outcome of a race which closed a chapter on Russell's thoroughly successful career.

By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Donal Murphy