Mullins and Townend continue to carry all before them

Gary Carson
January 29, 2024 4:38 pm

Punchestown double adds to burgeoning January tally.

Willie Mullins and Paul Townend continued their sensational run of form with a Monday double at Punchestown.

Even by his own high standards, the Closutton handler has been firing on all cylinders since the turn of the year, with his latest brace meaning he has now trained 39 winners in January.

Stable jockey Townend is enjoy a similar hot streak, with his last 20 rides yielding 14 victories.

It did not take the formidable partnership long to find the target, with Anotherway bolting up in the opening Get Best Odds Guaranteed At Bet Victor Maiden Hurdle.

The five-year-old was the 8-15 favourite despite finishing down the field on his Irish debut at Leopardstown over Christmas and justified his cramped odds with a comfortable 12-length success.

Coral cut Anotherway to 33-1 from 100-1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, but Mullins indicated he could well step up in distance if he does make the trip to the Cotswolds.

“He stayed well and galloped well the whole way to the line, but his jumping left a lot to be desired and he has to improve on that,” said the champion trainer.

“Maybe it was the heavy ground today because he jumped much better in Leopardstown the last day. I’m disappointed with his jumping but at least he did what he was showing us at home today.

“Looking at that performance he might be more of a Ballymore (Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle) horse.”

Mullins and Townend doubled up in the Group Ticket Deal At Festival 2024 (C & G) Maiden Hurdle with the similarly promising Billericay Dickie (8-11 favourite).

Another recruit from the French Flat scene, the five-year-old cruised to the front under a motionless Townend before kicking 11 lengths clear.

Mullins added: “I was delighted with that. I didn’t think he’d go on that ground, but Paul said he handled it well.

“For a maiden I thought he jumped very well and he could go wherever he wants.

“We’ll look at a novice hurdle somewhere and we’ll see if Paul thinks he’s good enough for a race across the water (at Cheltenham). I’d like to get another run into him before we go there, if we go there.

“That was two and a half, he’s by New Bay and his dam won on the Flat over a mile and a quarter. I wouldn’t be going three miles with him, but he could stick around that trip or two-six.

“I might get another novice in him and then decide if he’s good enough to go.”

Bioluminescence was another winning odds-on favourite in the Download The Bet Victor App Mares Maiden Hurdle, landing odds of 4-7 for trainer Gavin Cromwell, jockey Mark Walsh and owner JP McManus.

Cromwell said: “She’s a three-mile chaser in the making, she ploughed through that ground and it’s nice to get her head in front.”

Martin Brassil’s Built By Ballymore (11-4) was hard at work a long way from home in the Punchestown Members Club From 215 Rated Novice Hurdle, but stuck to his guns to stay in contention and in the end pulled 12 lengths ahead of the chasing pack under JJ Slevin.

“He just handles the muck. He mightn’t quicken up but he just keeps going in it,” said Brassil.

“I felt he might have been put in high enough, but in those conditions he handles it better than most.”