Bacardys (far side, yellow/black colours) is about to beat Grotesque© Photo Healy Racing
Bacardys completed an excellent day's work for Team Mullins when winning the concluding Donohue Marquees Bumper at Leopardstown today, their fifth winner in a star-studded day of wins and one epic near-miss.
Trainer Willie Mullins was at Kempton to see his Faugheen win the Christmas Hurdle before Vautour narrowly lost out to Cue Card in a memorable King George.
In Dublin, the Champion Trainer recorded a four-timer and while Jonathan Burke steered Apple's Jade Patrick Mullins steered the remaining three winners A Toi Phil Douvan and Bumper winner Bacardys.
Afterwards jockey Mullins stated “that's my first treble; (to ride) a hurdle winner, my first Grade 1 over fences and the bumper, things can only go downhill from here!
"He was green, and when Jamie's (Codd, on runner-up Grotesque horse got ahead of me he leaned in on me a bit. With a clear run I think he would have won easier but he was tough. Linda Masterson deserved a lot of credit as she looks after him, and also looks after Don Poli.
"He could be a Cheltenham bumper horse, and I think he will be better on better ground."
He added to the Douvan win, "I would like to thank Rich (Ricci) for letting me ride Douvan. It was a great vote of confidence. Gail Carlisle does a lot of work after-hours with Douvan, and he has come on well from his previous run at Navan."
Mullins did pick up a two-day ban for excessive use of the whip in the bumper, and Jamie Codd received a one day suspension for careless riding on Grotesque.
By Tom Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee
