Mt Leinster and Patrick Mullins (centre, horse with hood) win the (Q.R.) Maiden © Photo Healy Racing
Mt Leinster (3/1) maintained a family tradition when landing the Monami Construction (Q.R.) Maiden in the hands of Patrick Mullins.
The bumper and maiden hurdle winner was in a nice position, despite having missed the break, just tracking the leaders as they raced out of the dip, and he kept going well in the straight to deny Ciel D’afrique by a length and a quarter.
The front-running Born By The Sea was third, while the 7/4 favourite Thosedaysaregone was unable to land a blow and finished eight.
It was a fourth successive win in this race for Willie and Patrick Mullins.
The winning rider commented: “Willie said did I want to pop him out of stalls this morning and I said no, as I would rather he broke slow, but I didn't think he'd break that slow.
"They went very steady and I decided to roll the dice and let him roll up on the outside, and all the way I was able to get into a lovely position without using any excess energy and he settled quite well.
"He is the fourth of that family to win at the festival (and the third sibling to win this race, after Blackstairmountain and Diamond Hill) and I think he might be a better Flat horse. He could be a Connacht Hotel Amateur Handicap-type horse and could also be a Galway Hurdle horse."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
