Burning Victory too good for Quevega rivals

PA Sport Reporters
February 23, 2022 2:57 pm

Mare returns to winning ways at Punchestown.

Burning Victory won her first race over jumps since the 2020 Triumph Hurdle when making all the running in the Watch On Racing TV Quevega Mares Hurdle at Punchestown.

Willie Mullins’ six-year-old took advantage of Goshen’s final flight mishap at the Cheltenham Festival a couple of years ago but she has struggled over hurdles since then.

She had been over to France a couple of times to win on the Flat and finished second in the Cesarewitch in the interim, but she was cut to 7-1 from 8-1 by Betfair for the Close Brother Mares’ Hurdle next month after this success.

Paul Townend made sure there was no hiding place in the testing ground and set off at a fair lick, soon spreading the field out.

Only Gordon Elliott’s Queen’s Brook could keep tabs on Burning Victory, but even that rival appeared to have been dropped at the second last, with Townend’s mount nicely clear.

A seventh victory in the Grade 3 Quevega Mares Hurdle for trainer @WillieMullinsNH at @punchestownrace, with Burning Victory making all for an easy victory in the hands of @PTownend 🥇 pic.twitter.com/DSXKqPEkJu

— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) February 23, 2022

However, despite jumping the last with seemingly plenty left in the tank, the leader’s stride began to shorten allowing Queen’s Brook to close in, eventually being beaten a length and a half by the 1-2 favourite.

It was a seventh win in the race for Mullins since 2014.

“I was very happy with her jumping, I think it’s the first time she’s ever jumped without making a mistake, so the cheekpieces were a big help to her,” said Mullins.

“She still jumped a little tall. I think she needed the race, especially the way she finished but she did go a fast gallop and was probably tying up a little bit at the end.

“I’d imagine she’ll go for the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, that’s the plan.”