Classic Getaway leads Mullins clean sweep at Gowran

Alan Magee
November 26, 2022 12:57 pm

Mullins-trained horses took the first three places.

Classic Getaway surprised stablemate Minella Cocooner as he led home a one-two-three for Willie Mullins in the Noreside Catering Irish EBF Beginners Chase at Gowran.

All eyes were on Minella Cocooner, winner of a Grade One novice hurdle at Leopardstown last term before going on to chase home another Mullins’ runnner, The Nice Guy, at both the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals.

Paul Townend unsurprisingly opted to ride evens favourite Minella Cocooner, with Danny Mullins taking the mount on 8-1 shot Classic Getaway, who was a GBP 570,000 purchase for owners Cheveley Park Stud after winning on his point to point debut back in 2020 but failed to sparkle over hurdles last season.

Laurina (2019)Energumene (2020)Bob Olinger (2021)
Classic Getaway (2022) @WillieMullinsNH‘s 6yo, ridden by @dan2231, adds his name to the stellar list of winners of the Noreside Catering @IrishEBF_ Beginners Chase @GowranPark1 👀@CPStudOfficial have another good ‘un pic.twitter.com/DsQdWPXlLj
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) November 26, 2022

Minella Cocooner set out to make all in the two-and-a-half-mile heat and all appeared to be going to plan as he built up a healthy lead over Journey With Me, with Classic Getaway settled back in third.

However, Townend was starting to get to work with three to jump and when Journey With Me fell at the second last, it was straight fight between the Mullins runners.

They jumped the last together but Minella Cocooner was awkward on landing, allowing Classic Getaway to seize the advantage and he saw it out well to triumph by two and three-quarter lengths in testing conditions. Whatdeawant was a further 27 lengths back in third to complete the Mullins clean sweep.

Betfair cut Classic Getaway to 12-1 from 50s for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, while making him a 10-1 shot for the National Hunt Chase.

Mullins said: “The ground is perfect for us so I wanted to get the three of them out. It’s not ideal but we let them take each other on and have them ready for Christmas so we know where we are going now.

“Paul was a shade unlucky having to make all the running and the horse was a little green in front which cost him as well as the mistake at the last.

“Take nothing from the winner. He travelled the whole way and jumped well. He had the benefit of getting a lead but did come through and jumped well. He did everything right.

“Whatdeawant might need a longer trip but he was a little more novicey than the other two. They are three nice novices to go to war with at Christmas.”