'Trains, flames and automobiles' worth it for Mullins' owners

The 1/2 favourite Space Tourist made a winning start for Willie Mullins when landing the Bluegrass Horse Feeds Flat Race with the minimum of fuss.

The daughter of Jet Away had run well in a Navan maiden hurdle in the spring for previous handler Jonathan Fogarty and, having kept tabs on the leaders throughout, led going easily over two furlongs out and was ridden out to beat Up For Appeal by two and three quarter lengths.

It was the second leg of a double for Mullins and his son Patrick after the comfortable success of French import Historique Reconce in the mares' maiden hurdle.

Winning trainer Willie Mullins said: "The guys in the (Yorkshire Rose) syndicate spoke to Patrick about getting a horse. They hadn't got the biggest budget in the world, Patrick found two or three and they went for this one. It's worked out nicely.

"They are a syndicate from Yorkshire and I think it's their first winner. They flew in this morning and got the train down. There was fire on the train line outside Bagenalstown and they got delayed so it's been trains, flames and automobiles for them!

"She is a nice filly and I'd hope she will win over hurdles. She will keeping going now for the summer."

Quotes from Donal Murphy