Ferny shows his true colours to make it 3 on the day for Mullins

Point-to-point winner Ferny Hollow (4/11) made it third time lucky on the racecourse to bring up a Fairyhouse treble for Willie Mullins in the Ian Smith Memorial (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race.

Waited with by Patrick Mullins on this occasion in a first-time hood, the Westerner gelding eventually sauntered home by four and a quarter lengths and two and a half lengths from On Eagles Wings and Frontal Assault

Paddy Power go 8/1 from 10/1 about Ferny Hollow for the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham.

Patrick’s cousin Danny rode the earlier Closutton winners, Grade Three scorers Burning Victory and Acapella Bourgeois

“We totally changed tactics with him today and it made a big difference to how he finished out his race. He looked a decent horse,” said Willie Mullins.

“He's probably booked a ticket to go to Cheltenham but I'll have a word with connections, they are not here today, and we'll see how he comes out of the race.

“Maybe we could plan an Irish campaign for him instead, we'll see what they want to do.

“He's a horse that has shown us a lot of ability at home but he was just using himself up too much in his previous races and we just decided to settle him today.”

(GC & EM)