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Gaelic Warrior creates a big impression on chase debut

The talented Gaelic Warrior transferred his hurdling ability to fences with a wide-margin success in the Conway Piling Beginners Chase at Punchestown.

GAELIC WARRIOR winning the Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in Naas, Ireland.
GAELIC WARRIOR winning the Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in Naas, Ireland. Picture: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

Gaelic Warrior only found stablemate Impaire Et Passe too strong when runner-up in the Grade 1 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last season, before running out an impressive winner of the Grade 1 Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle at Punchestown a month later.

The son of Maxios had been set to stay over hurdles this season but connections opted to switch to chasing. Willie Mullins' five-year-old jumped well in behind stablemate Figaroc over the first few fences before Paul Townend let his mount stride on with purpose. He soon opened up a healthy advantage and with a round of solid jumping, the Rich Ricci-owned gelding eased clear for a commanding fifteen-length success. Inothewayurthinkin won the battle for the runner-up spot, Senior Chief back in third.

Paddy Power cut the winner from 6/1 to 4/1 favourite for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Cheltenham next March.

"It was a very good performance, way better than I expected. I thought he was a bit novicey at one or two but never looked like falling and he ran very fresh today," Mullins said.

"We all know he stays, and he might go a longer trip, but maybe after that performance, I need to have a rethink about him. He'd have no problem going two and a half miles and two miles would be no problem to him either the way he ran there.

"We thought there would be a lot more pace in the race, but it seemed to evaporate, and Paul was happy enough to make it. He was just a bit gassy today on his first run and maybe he will settle later on in the season."

"It was a very good performance, way better than I expected. I thought he was a bit novicey at one or two but never looked like falling and he ran very fresh today," Mullins said.

"We all know he stays, and he might go a longer trip, but maybe after that performance, I need to have a rethink about him. He'd have no problem going two and a half miles and two miles would be no problem to him either the way he ran there.

"We thought there would be a lot more pace in the race, but it seemed to evaporate, and Paul was happy enough to make it. He was just a bit gassy today on his first run and maybe he will settle later on in the season."


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