Saint Sam (10/11f) was the appropriate winner of Gowran's featured Grade 2 Red Mills Chase today, scoring in the same week his champion trainer Willie Mullins' mother and locally-born Maureen Mullins passed away.

Ridden by Paul Townend, front-running Saint Sam raced clear of his four rivals throughout and on the run-in comfortably held Rivieie D'etel by 8.5 lengths.

The win was poignant for the all-conquering Mullins camp with the passing of well-known neighbouring Kilcruit-born Maureen Mullins on Wednesday, with grandson Patrick Mullins reporting “Granny would have enjoyed that and it’s a pity that she’s not here to be in the picture.”

He added “it was a great performance and great to have the owners Ed and Mary Ware here today. The Red Mills Chase was one of the races we pin-pointed for Saint Sam at the start of the year, small fields suit him as he likes to get on with things and wears the hood.

“He’s hot and we were worried that he’d be fresh on his first run and might do too much on the heavy ground. Paul got a few breathers into him though.

“Those Grade 2s or Grade 3s are where he’s most comfortable and could go to Fairyhouse now. He is a better chaser than he was a hurdler and loves jumping. He’s not the biggest but a lot of the Saint Des Saint’s are great leapers.”

Quotes from Alan Magee