Cilaos Emery© Photo Healy Racing
Champion Trainer Willie Mullins bagged both feature race wins in Ireland today as his Cilaos Emery won the Grade 2 Kerry Group Hilly Way Chase at Cork, 45 minutes following Min s win in Punchestown's Grade 1 John Durkan Chase.
Cork's featured Hilly Way Chase attracted just three runners and while last-placed Great Field exited at the fourth last fence, Cilaos Emery, under Danny Mullins, moved through to head leader Ballyoisin at the third last.
From that point Mullins kept the seven year old son of Califet up to his work as the pair beat their sole rival by seven lengths.
Mullins was at Punchestown, where Min took Grade 1 honours under Paul Townend, and following Cilaos Emery's win jockey Danny Mullins stated “it was a good performance and he always promised plenty. It was a pity he missed most of last season but he making up for it now and I'd imagine Willie will find another similar contest for him and hopefully he'll continue stepping up the ladder.
“You'd hope he will reach Grade 1 standard — he has done it over hurdles and he jumps fences well. For a small field it was a very competitive race today.”
