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John O'Riordan

John O'Riordan

All Fun Fun Fun for Mullins in bumper rout

Sun 5th Feb 2023, 17:06

Fun Fun Fun and Patrick Mullins win the Grade 2 Coolmore Irish EBF Mares Flat Race Fun Fun Fun and Patrick Mullins win the Grade 2 Coolmore Irish EBF Mares Flat Race
© Photo Healy Racing

Willie Mullins trained his eighth winner of this years Dublin Racing Festival when Fun Fun Fun ran out a hugely impressive winner of the concluding Grade 2 Coolmore N.H. Sires "Santiago" Irish EBF Mares I.N.H. Flat Race.

Both bred and ridden by Patrick Mullins, the Simon Munir/Isaac Suede owned five-year-old stepped up on her debut win at Sligo to put up a performance that shot her to the forefront of antepost lists for the Cheltenham bumper next month.

Held up towards rear of the seven runners, Mullins made ground on the outer approaching the home turn and soon eased to the front, before stretching clear of his rivals.

Last years winner, Lily Du Berlais owned by the same connections as the winner, stayed on well to take the runner-up spot, further strengthening the form of the race.

Trainer Willie Mullins said:- “It was a very impressive performance because she had a break since her last run and I didn't think she had enough done.

“She looked like she had blown up coming out of the back stretch and she looked in trouble about three furlongs out.

“Patrick said when he pulled her to the outside she got her second wind and she just took off. She looks to be a serious mare.

“She's entitled to go anywhere she wants now. Do you go to Cheltenham or to the mares bumper in Aintree?

“She's well entitled to go wherever connections decide and I'd dare say Patrick will probably have a fair say in that along with Simon and Issac.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

About John O'Riordan
John has worked for the Press Association since 2022. He also writes a weekly column for The Irish Field and is a regular contributor to the Irish Racing Yearbook. He has previously written for the Racing Post, Irish Examiner and Irish Daily Mirror. He has been involved in racing for over three decades; having experience as a syndicate member, sole owner and breeder.