Minella Encore is ridden out by Patrick Mullins© Photo Healy Racing
Minella Encore was the fourth winner of the day for Willie Mullins, as he made all in the bumper at Leopardstown, the Guinness INH Flat Race.
Successful in a point-to-point for Colin Bowe, the son of King's Theatre then changed hands for 100,000 pounds.
He made a winning start for current connections in bumper at Fairyhouse earlier this month, but surprisingly went off a 3/1 chance today (touched 7/2 on-course).
Sent straight to the front by Patrick Mullins, the David Bobbett owned five-year-old was ridden under two furlongs out, keeping on well under pressure to see off the challenge of The Gunner Murphy by a length and three parts.
The runner-up was returned at 7/4 under Derek O'Connor for Joseph O'Brien, while the 5/4 favourite Daly Tiger was seven lengths back in third.
Mullins, who was on the mark earlier with Let's Dance Kate Appleby Shoes and Fabulous Saga (last two at Limerick), said afterwards: "I thought Patrick was absolutely fantastic on him.
"He read him right and was hoping that he would improve from the hard race he had the last day which he did.
"It's a testament to the horse that he improved from that as he had a very hard race in Fairyhouse but the experience of that paid off.
"I was going to go hurdling with him but I think we have to have a change of heart and maybe we'll keep him to bumpers this year but we'll see. We'll have a chat with the owners."
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
