Whiteout now a Grade 1 queen

Sixteen to one chance Whiteout (Paul Townend up) upstaged several better fancied rivals, including her stable companion, 11/10 favourite, Limini to take the Grade 1 Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.

The patiently ridden Limini looked to be coming with a winning run from behind into the straight.

Whiteout was always up there in the pace-setting role and ridden to gain control of the two and a quarter miler from before the last, she soon asserted to account for Limini by four and three parts of a length.

Second favourite Slowmotion didn't get the run of the race but she was ultimately a well held fifth.

"Paul gave her a game ride from the front. We decided to change tactics today and it paid off. She likes this track and jumped really well," said winning trainer Willie Mullins (his 33rd Grade 1 winner of the season).

"I booked her to visit Shantou during the week. She is entered in the Chester Cup but won't go there now. I think there is a good Flat handicap left in her though.

"Limini didn't jump well enough."

David Lawlor owns Whiteout, a modest purchase out of a French claimer in July 2014.

The Stewards requested a report from W.P. Mullins, trainer, as to the apparent improvement in form of Whiteout (GER), placed first, as compared with her previous run. W.P. Mullins reported that Whiteout (GER) had run a very good race at Cheltenham when finishing fifth beaten nine lengths in a handicap hurdle and then returned to Aintree but ran very flat before pulling up in a Grade 3 handicap hurdle. He added that the filly was freshened up since Aintree and returned to form today on a racecourse for which she has shown a liking by winning her third race here. Having considered the evidence the Stewards noted the content of the report.

(AM & EM)