Sligo trainer Mark McNiff has every right to be proud of his handling of Mr Mulliner and the Millenary six-year-old made it three from three since joining the yard, when triumphant in race three, the Willie Murphy Jewellers, Downpatrick Handicap Hurdle.

Again with Derek Fox in the plate, as was the case when Mr Mulliner won over the same course and distance on August 9th, the McNiff runner went off second market choice at 100/30 for the two mile seven event.

With blinkers replacing cheek-pieces, Chamonix gave it a good go from the front, under Barry Geraghty, but favourite, The Informer looked likely to claim him when pecking at the second last.

Chamonix soon held the call again, but Mr Mulliner was beginning to power home from off the pace at that stage.

Fox got his mount up in the final fifty yards to defeat Chamonix by a length.

The Informer meanwhile, was making no impression when tightened up close home, and he ended up a further length off them in third.

"Ride of the century!" enthused McNiff.

He added: "They got more strung out than I thought and it got very messy.

"He was a small horse with a big weight. He'll come back here for a chase the next day."

(MG & EM)