Bog War (right) hits the last as A Sizing Network leads© Photo Healy Racing
David Mullins was stood down for the afternoon after taking a fall in the opener at Punchestown yesterday but he bounced back in the best possible fashion when getting well-backed favourite Bog War up close home in the Murray Spelman Handicap Hurdle.
The Liam Cusack-trained gelding and A Sizing Network set down for a tremendous battle in the straight but the former appeared to have blown his chance with a mistake at the last.
However the 5/2 favourite (9/2 this morning), who was completing a hat-trick following recent wins at Navan and Fairyhouse when also ridden by the teenager, dug deep on the run-in to get up in the final strides.
First reserve Seeyouallincoppers was seven lengths back in third, with Equity Swap completing the placings in fourth.
Cusack said, "It's great that he followed up. I was a little worried coming back after a week as he normally gets a bit of time.
"The fact that he didn't have a hard race helped. He was eating well and seemed in good shape. It was worth chancing as it was a good pot.
"He's game out and is a progressive horse. He's unlucky not to have won four in a row and seems to be getting stronger all the time.
"He was 24 in the ballot and just scraped in. He wouldn't have got in without the penalty. David's claim was a huge advantage and he knows the horse.
"We'll have to think about a nice handicap hurdle now. He's rated 64 on the Flat and I wouldn't rule that out but he certainly won't run for a while and we'll take it easy now.
"We'll think about Galway and there is a little race at Leopardstown in the New Year which he might sneak into the bottom of!"
Mullins, who suffered some cuts and bruises yesterday, said "He's a right little two-mile hurdler. He's quick at his hurdles, he's good and clever and he travels. The bit of cut in the ground this week suits him better than what it was like last week."
(GC & AM)
