Mullins French recruit makes winning Irish debut

Odds-on punters couldn’t get enough of Willie Mullins French recruit Quartz Du Rheu (4/7 in the morning, 2/5 into 2/9 fav on track) ahead of the Victoria House 4-y-o Maiden Hurdle, and the J.P.McManus-owned gelding made all under Paul Townend for a comfortable seven and a half length success. Cocohulababy (11/1) filled the second spot, and Lets Go Again (7/1) was another five lengths away in third.

The winner had finished fourth of nine in a Listed hurdle for newcomers at Auteuil last September. The winning trainer Willie Mullins said: "He is a nice type that will stay further, he jumps well and did everything right today.

"It was a nice starting point and I was delighted with the way he picked up. Even though he is a handy little horse Paul said he found the track very sharp. He has a nice long stride and I'm hoping he will stay much further.

"He looks like one that will improve and he will be nice racehorse down the line. He could go to Listowel but it might come too soon. Hopefully our Galway novices will be going to Listowel. We'll see how he comes out of the race.

"I was surprised I got him out so early. We gave him a break and then he came back a bit early. I just thought he was doing things nicely at home and we put him in here. When we looked at the race we said we'd let him take his chance, especially with all the rain last week, it made the ground nice."

Additional reporting by Donal Murphy