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- Rebellito takes feature for Mullins & Whelan
Mark Nunan
Rebellito takes feature for Mullins & Whelan
The grey Rebellito and Ronan Whelan beat Yafordadoe
© Photo Healy Racing
Rebellito (16s into 11/1) landed the featured Listowel Printing Works Handicap in the hands of Ronan Whelan.
The grey gelding by Montmartre tracked the leaders before being ridden to challenge after turning for home.
The lightly-raced 7-year-old led over a furlong out and stayed on well to beat the closers Yafordadoe (22/1) and Port Sunlight (8/1) by a length and a quarter and three quarters of a length.
The Susannah Ricci-owned winner had scored twice on the level in France as a 3-year-old but hadn’t been placed in Flat races or over hurdles since joining Willie Mullins the following year.
“He did it well," said Whelan.
"He ran a good race for a long way the last day in Leopardstown and speaking to Willie this morning he said that's not as good as he is and that he'd improve for that. How right he was.
“He jumped and I got a nice run around, we didn't go overly mad, and he actually has quite a gear.
“The last day at Leopardstown he travelled everywhere for me and I was happy enough he had a little change of gear.
“I was probably there a little bit sooner than I'd like. He came on from the last day and might come on again from that.”
Quotes from Gary Carson