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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Mark Donlon

Willie Mullins overjoyed after saddling six-timer at Leopardstown

Willie Mullins was thoroughly satisified after he registered six winners at Leopardstown on Tuesday.

In Grade One action, Blue Lord captured the Paddy Power Rewards Club Chase while the imperious Facile Vega kept his unbeaten record polished with a win in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle.

Winter Fog came up trumps in the Paddy Power 'Je Suis Une Baguette' Handicap Hurdle while Dysart Dynamo and Tekao scored successes in the opening two races of the day.

READ MORE: Bravemansgame delivers incredible 13th King George VI Chase for trainer Paul Nicholls

And the six-timer was completed by the 8/13 favourite Fact To File in the 'Paddy Power Flat One' Flat Race, with Mullins' son Patrick on board.

Afterwards, Mullins expressed his delight at a prolific day at the Irish course, and he reserved credit for Paul Townend for his ride on Facile Vega.

He said: "I was very happy, a lot of people said visually he [Facile vega] wasn't great.

Once Paul had an inch he just galloped away up the straight.

"When he turned down the back stretch the first time, I thought 'this fella is taking too much of a hold'.

"He flew that first hurdle down there and it took a lot out of him. Paul couldn't get him back.

"He ran a whole race there, in my view.

"Paul got him settled and got a second wind into him and then he was able to fight off a 134-rated horse who is improving, I think."

And Mullins agreed that the unbeaten Facile Vega could be bound for Cheltenham.

"I imagine that's the sort of plan, Dublin Racing Festival then hopefully Cheltenham and back to Punchestown," he said.

"I'm happy enough, he jumps well enough. Today's Plan A was to get a lead.

"He proved he's able to jump out and gallop over hurdles on his own so he can do that either, there's no problem with that."

Mullins also paid tribute to Chacun Pour Soi after a solid run in the Rewards Club Chase was hampered by a mistake late in the race which allowed Blue Lord to steal a march and claim the victory.

"I was delighted that Chacun showed what he was like earlier on in his career," Mullins said.

"He loves Leopardstown, he flew down the back stretch and I don't know why he missed the second last, it's not like him.

"It's not a big fence or anything like that but it fell into Blue Lord's hands and he just galloped away from them.

"He sat out off the pace and took advantage of it. The manner in which he won in the end, he just galloped away from decent horses."

And Mullins added that on today's evidence, Blue Lord may be better suited to the two-mile trip.

He said: "I didn't think he'd improve that much this season and I was looking at two and a half miles for him, but we have to have a rethink now and maybe go back to two miles."

Dysart Dynamo came home first in the Paddy Power 'From the Horse's Mouth Podcast' Beginners Chase and Mullins remarked that the horse is better suited to fences.

He said: "He's been very good at home. I brought him to Punchestown the other day and he jumped from fence to fence and more or less did the same today - so very, very pleased with him.

"He has far more respect for his fences than he does over hurdles.

"Hurdles he used to just gallop out through them and gallop as fast as he could without jumping them, whereas fences he has a look at them and they steady him up and help him settle.

"He has a much easier and nicer ride over fences."

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