Dr Eggman (left) wears down Intense Approach© Photo Healy Racing
Willie and Patrick Mullins completed doubles when 4/9 favourite Dr Eggman gained a hard-fought success in the Bank Of Ireland Flat Race.
Third in competitive contests at Fairyhouse (last year) and Punchestown, the five-year-old had to show his battling qualities to get the better of the always prominent Intense Approach and just managed to edge past that one close home to score by a head. Longshot Phantomofthepoints caught the eye in staying on for third with the placed horses well clear of the remainder.
Patrick Mullins, whose earlier winner for his father was We'llhavewan said: "The second is probably very good and it was a winter standard of bumper, I'd say. I think he was a bit dead in himself, he usually takes more of a tug which is why I dropped him in a bit, and he didn't really pick it up for me.
"The ground tonight is beautiful but he's a Saint Des Saints and I think he probably wants soft ground.
"He's probably a real winter horse and he'll go on his holidays now."
