Soleil shines on hurdling debut

Chapeau De Soleil quickened away smartly in very testing conditions to settle matters in the amateur rider's maiden hurdle at Clonmel.

Patrick Mullins made the running on the 4/6 shot in the two-mile-three contest and he was joined by Magic Sadler turning for home.

That rival came under pressure going to the second last where Chapeau De Soleil led despite being untidy.

The Willie Mullins-trained gelding scooted clear going to the final flight and went on to record an easy nine length win over Chosen Thyme

Chapeau De Soleil was last seen finishing tenth in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham.

"Usually I get hit by a bolt of lightning in this race - I’ve fallen off 1/10 shots, got two Grade 1 winners beaten so it’s not a lucky race for me, but he was very good,” said the winning rider.

“He loved the ground, settled well, but I do think he would prefer going the other direction.

“We let him gallop and he settled. We’ve always thought an awful lot of him, but we couldn’t get him right last year, after he ran the first time. He was always looking poorly.

“There was nothing wrong with him, but this year he looks stronger and that’s what we thought of him all along.

"Hopefully we can just keep him right as he’s just not simple to train, but I think we might have him now.

“We’re hoping he’s a Grade 1 horse — that’s what we’ve always hoped for him.”

Betfair made the winner 14/1 from 25/1 for the Ballymore Novice's Hurdle and 16/1 from 25/1 for the Albert Bartlett.

(Quotes by Tom Weekes)