Big Leopardstown handicap goes to Meetingofthewaters

Alan Magee
December 27, 2023 5:38 pm

Paul Byrne colours carried to Paddy Power Chase success.

Meetingofthewaters provided his owner Paul Byrne with another big payday after scooting to victory in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown.

With a total prize fund of EURO 200,000 up for grabs, the three-mile contest is one of the most valuable handicap chases of the season in Ireland and once again attracted a bumper field of 27 runners.

Meetingofthewaters (6-1) was rated just 112 when snapped up by Patrick Mullins out of Eugene O’Sullivan’s yard earlier in the year – and while he was well beaten in his first two starts over fences in his colours and under the tutelage of his father Willie, he was a well-backed favourite when making it third time lucky in lesser company at Cork last month.

Having since been sold to a close friend of the Mullins family in Byrne, who has previously enjoyed big-race success with the likes of The Shunter, Corbetts Cross and Feronily, the six-year-old travelled smoothly into the straight under Danny Mullins and dug deep from the final fence to see off the rallying Panda Boy by four and a half lengths.

Meetingofthewaters with his delighted connections at Leopardstown (Alan Magee/PA)

Mullins said: “It’s a fantastic result for Paul Byrne. Patrick has a lot to do with (training) this fellow, but I think he was hoping he’d be a Kim Muir horse and that is gone out the window now!

“It’s great prize-money and a tremendous prize to win with a horse like that.

“Paul is great at seeing gaps in the market when buying horses. He’s able to spot horses rather than paying big money. He has an eye for a horse and is able to put a deal together. He probably looks for horses in places that other people don’t.

“He won nicely in Cork and was a young horse improving all the time. It’s a bit of a lottery when you go into a race like this but when you get in at those weights it’s always worth having a crack.”

Joystick and Patrick Mullins winning at Leopardstown (Niall Carson/PA)

Meetingofthewaters was one of three winners on the card for the champion trainer, with Mark Walsh steering Dinoblue (9-4) to Grade One success in the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase and Joystick toughing out victory as the 11-8 favourite in the concluding bumper under Patrick Mullins.

Mullins, who enjoyed an across-the-card seven-timer on the day with four winners at Limerick, said of Joystick, he said: “He was third in a point-to-point and we went down to see him at the Doyles. He’s a nice staying type and a real chaser in the making.

“He’s a real long-striding, old-fashioned chaser and a nice acquisition. He’ll stick with bumpers this season.”

Intellotto made a successful start to his career over obstacles in the Paddy Power I Have No Idea What Day It Is 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle.

Intellotto (left) challenges at Leopardstown (Niall Carson/PA)

Placed twice from three starts on the Flat for trainer Joseph O’Brien, the 10-1 shot travelled smoothly on his jumping bow and passed the post with four and a half lengths in hand under Daryl Jacob.

Paddy Power make Intellotto a 25-1 shot for the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

O’Brien said: “The ground was softer than we thought it was going to be but it was a lovely debut. Daryl taught him a lot and he jumped pretty well on the whole.

“I think the logical step would be to come back here for the Dublin Racing Festival.”

One Last Tango and Mark Walsh hit the front (Niall Carson/PA)

The Eoin Griffin-trained One Last Tango (4-1) carried the JP McManus colours to victory in the Paddy Power Who Put The Wrappers Back In The Box Handicap Hurdle, completing a double on the card for the leading owner and jockey Mark Walsh following the earlier Grade One success of Dinoblue.

Griffin said: “He had a promising run on his return when finishing fourth at Navan and he’s come on a little bit from it.

“I was a bit concerned about the ground today, but he handled it well and it’s brilliant to get a winner here at Christmas for JP. It’s been a while since we had a Christmas winner and we’re over the moon.”