Willie Mullins surpassed his own record of having the most Grade 1 winners in a season when Il Etait Temps stayed on strongly to deny the hot favourite Gaelic Warrior in the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase at Punchestown.
Mullins recorded a staggering 34 Grade 1 victories in the 2015-16 season but was well on track to defy that tally when Dancing City and Redemption Day both claimed top-level successes yesterday.
Many would have expected the 1/3 market leader Gaelic Warrior, who was last seen when bolting up in the Arkle Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, to be the horse that would provide the Closutton Maestro with his record-breaking success, but instead it would be nephew Danny Mullins who would steer the 7/2 chance Il Etait Temps to triumph.
JP McManus' Hercule Du Seuil set out to make the running with Paul Townend eager to sit on his heels back in second. Gaelic Warrior showed his usual tendency to jump right-handed but looked to be travelling smoothly in the hands of the champion-seeking jockey as the pair turned for home. However, the Rich Ricci-owned gelding soon came under pressure and a good leap at the second last from Il Etait Temps put him firmly in the reckoning.
Danny Mullins galvanised his mount to come up with a challenge in the closing stages and the likeable grey, who was last seen beating Ginny's Destiny by nine lengths over two and a half miles at Aintree, stayed on strongly to get the better of his stablemate by two and a quarter lengths, with a further three and a half back to front runner Hercule Du Seuil.
"He's an extraordinary horse, that's his third Grade One this year," said trainer Willie Mullins.
"He doesn't look like a big steeplechaser, but he's got an engine and he jumps well. He's just maturing and learning all the time.
"He's getting a lot easier to ride. He has a good and a tongue-tie and that's to keep the revs low on him. It's working and we'll keep them on him for the time being anyway.
"I'd imagine he'll stay at the two-mile division until we think that he's too slow, possibly on ground that he likes better.
"He never gives up. He's settling now and more mature and concentrating his energy at the second half of the race.
"He's a horse that I won't mind going up in trip with and he could easily slot into being a Ryanair horse."
Regarding the performance of Gaelic Warrior, he said: "I think Gaelic Warrior probably didn't like the ground and it might just be drying up too much for him. He might be more of a winter horse.
"When he won here last year Paul (Townend) thought he didn't move as well on it even though he won.
"I didn't think he was as flashy jumping. He's an extravagant jumper and he wasn't that at all today."
The winner was cut in half by Paddy Power to 25/1 for next year's Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
