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Donal Murphy

Donal Murphy

Pink Hat takes the last for Willie & Patrick

Sat 10th Aug 2013, 20:55

Pink Hat (centre) is driven out by Patrick Mullins to beat Alton Bay (left) and Back Before DawnPink Hat (centre) is driven out by Patrick Mullins to beat Alton Bay (left) and Back Before Dawn
© Photo Healy Racing

The first three in the betting battled out the finish of the bumper at Kilbeggan, the Tom Birmingham Menswear Flat Race, with the second choice of punters, Pink Hat scoring on her debut for Willie and Patrick Mullins.

The five-year-old daughter of Presenting is a half-sister to smart stable mate Tasitiocht, and she cost €54,000 at Tattersalls last June.

Sent to post at 5/2, she chased the leaders for much of the contest and was fifth at the halfway stage.

She made headway into second two furlongs out, contesting the lead a furlong from home with Alton Bay and Back Before Dawn before asserting in the closing stages, going on to score by two lengths.

Alton Bay was sent off the 2/1 favourite (opened at 9/4 on-course), but he had to settle for second under Jane Mangan for Peter Fahey, while Back Before Dawn (11/4) was just a neck back in third under Mikey Fogarty for Dessie Hughes.

Patrick Mullins said afterwards: "She was very green. My mother (winning owner Jackie Mullins) bought her as a broodmare as I think she is from the family of Morley Street and Granville Again.

"She is not the biggest but she could go for a winners bumper and there is great programme of races for mares over hurdles."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee

About Donal Murphy
Donal graduated from Maynooth University in 2010 with a BBS in Equine Business and since attained a diploma in Sports Journalism from Dublin Business School. He holds a variety of roles in the horse racing industry, reporting for the Press Association and p2p.ie, while also working for SIS and the Tote. From Wexford, he is a keen runner and has completed over 100 parkruns at various locations around the country.