Tullyhill and Paul Townend© Photo Healy Racing
Tullyhill got back on track with a cosy victory in the maiden hurdle at Naas this afternoon, giving Willie Mullins a quick double on the card.
The Martaline gelding had been turned over at odds of 1/8 on his hurdling debut at Punchestown in late November but made no mistake this time.
Paul Townend bounced out in front on the 2/9 shot and he had his rivals at work after the second last.
Tullyhill got under the last but didn't need to engage top gear on the run-in as Townend gave him a squeeze to assert and score by seven lengths from Lightkeeper
The winner had been second to A Dream To Share in the Grade 1 bumper at Punchestown last season and is now a 20/1 shot for both the Supreme and Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham with Betfair.
Mullins said:- “He needs practice jumping. He’s just very sticky and his best jump was maybe the second last when they came up around him.
“He probably likes being competitive and I’m happy his jumping will improve as the season goes on.
“He’s probably more of a chaser in the long run.
“He needs all the practice he can get and we’ll get at least another run into him (before Cheltenham).
“I thought he was a stayer but he might be better going a good gallop over two miles. After getting beaten the last day (over 2m6f) I don’t want to go out in trip with him yet.”
(Quotes by Alan Magee)
