Roumanian (left) and Cloudy Morning (blue/white) fight out the finish© Photo Healy Racing
The training skills of Willie Mullins were highlighted in devastating fashion at the Cheltenham Festival earlier this month but the champion's effect was seen at the other end of the scale as Roumanian landed the Stay Classy Handicap Hurdle at Cork.
The lightly-raced nine-year-old gelding was having his first run for the Closutton maestro following a near nine-month absence and a string of unpromising outings for Michael McDonagh.
A basement handicap mark of 80 was allotted to the French-bred but punters showed blind faith in the Mullins factor and sent him off the 11/8 favourite.
Danny Mullins oozed confidence to challenge after two out but had to go for everything on the run-in as Cloudy Morning proved a serious threat.
The pair flashed past the post and it required the judge to split them with the favourite getting the nod by a short-head. Manibus was five and a half lengths back in third, with Notification in fourth.
Patrick Mullins said, ""He was recommended to me by Paul Byrne, who also recommended Rockyaboya to me, so he deserves plenty of credit.
"I told Danny to be in the first half today but he completely ignored my instructions and gave the horse a fantastic ride! He felt there was too much pace early on and held him back as he can also be quite keen.
"Our reasoning for buying him was he had finished second in his point-to-point and is a half brother to a French Grade 1 winner called Grivette. Grivette beat Hurricane Fly (second) and Quevega (third) to win at Autueil in June 2008."
(TW & AM)
