Ex-Paul Nicholls trained Whiskey Lullaby shed her maiden tag for Willie Mullins at Punchestown today, landing the Sporting Life Beginners Chase under Champion Jockey Paul Townend.

The daughter of Stowaway was second on her only Irish point-to-point for Colin Bowe in 2019 and while placed on five of nine subsequent starts for UK Champion Trainer Nicholls, was sold for £29,000 last August and today, as 13/8 favourite, scored on her second start for Mullins.

The seven year old mare benefitted from a ground-saving ride from Townend, and was all-out to beat fast-finishing 40/1 chance Difficult Decision by three parts of a length.

Mullins, earlier successful with impressive winner Dysart Dynamo was absent and represented by David Casey who stated “it was a good opportunity for her and it’s great that she’s won.

“She had a couple of runs over fences in England and I’m sure she did plenty of schooling with Paul Nicholls. She’s always been a good jumper since we got her. She jumped the last great which was probably the winning of it.”

Quotes from Alan Magee