Easy Game grabs Grade Three riches at Killarney

PA Sport Reporters
May 16, 2022 6:38 pm

Willie Mullins also saddled second Melon.

Easy Game led home a one-two for Willie Mullins in the BoyleSports An Riocht Chase at Killarney.

Stablemate Melon was sent off the 13-8 favourite for the Grade Three contest, with Paul Townend setting out to make all on the joint top-weight while Brian Hayes was content to track him on the eventual 3-1 winner.

It was a straight match between the Mullins runners with two to jump, but Easy Game just edged in front before jumping the last and he was not for passing in the two-and-a-half-mile contest, coming home one and a half lengths to the good.

Gin On Lime kept on for a 16-length third, with last year’s race winner Samcro struggling from some way out before being pulled up.

Hayes said: “he has been lucky for me and that was a nice race for him. There wasn’t much between him and Melon on ratings and it was probably a hard choice for Paul to make.

“He travelled and jumped great and it was great to get it.

“Plans will obviously be left up to Willie, but he was second in the Galway Plate last year.”

Mullins was completing a double having landed the Tote Sliabh Luachra Hurdle with 2-7 favourite Shewearsitwell.

Last seen finishing fifth at Grade One level at Punchestown, the Townend-ridden winner made the most of the drop in class to prevail by a length and a quarter over Off You Go.

Townend said: “With the horses coming out, it looked on paper as though it would be tactical affair and she travelled very strongly and has lot of pace.

“She took very heavy fall at Leopardstown (in December) and they did an unbelievable job putting her back together.”