Icare Allen makes winning debut over hurdles

The three-year-old maiden hurdle went to the 13/8 favourite Icare Allen under Mark Walsh.

The French import, who won a 1m4f bumper in his homeland in August, chased the leaders before taking closer order two out. He took a narrow lead approaching the final flight and was riden out to beat 80/1 outsider Privilege and Vera Verto (11/2) by three lengths and a neck.

After four domestic winners yesterday in addition to the King George victory of Tornado Flyer at Kempton, it was a good start to the day for winning trainer Willie Mullins who said: “He's a lovely horse and he did it very well.

“He has been working well at home and in fact the only bad bit of work he did was the one day I brought him away to see how good he was, he worked desperately.

“I think he's one that will go up through the ranks in those juvenile hurdles. The Dublin Racing festival would look an obvious target at this point.

“He was very green over the first and was very green when he hit the front. I think there is improvement in him.”

On Chacun Pour Soi, ruled out of today's Grade 1 Paddy's Rewards Club Chase after being found to be lame this morning, Mullins added: "It's a hamstring, that's basically it but there might be more to it.

“I said to my vet to give it to me in layman's terms and he said it was a hamstring so we'll have to see how long it takes.”

Quotes from Gary Carson