Epicuris (Paul Townend) gets away with a mistake at the last© Photo Healy Racing
Willie Mullins and Paul Townend completed a quickfire double at Gowran Park as Epicuris landed the Best Of Luck To The Irish At Cheltenham Maiden Hurdle. Saglawy provided the pair with a facile success in the opener but this victory was gained in far more workmanlike fashion.
The well-backed 3/1 chance, a Group 1 winner in France as a two-year-old, has an ungainly way about him and made a few mistakes but kept going under pressure in the closing stages.
Townend, returning today after nearly five weeks on the sidelines with an ankle injury, kept the son of Rail Link up to his work after a mistake at the last.
It was real slow-motion stuff on the run-in as he stayed on to beat the 10/11 favourite Avellino by eight lengths, with Three Swallowsnick another 11 lengths back in third.
Townend said, “He's just not in love with the ground and you could see that. He's getting his act together. He disappointed us the first day as we thought he was very good at the start of the year.
“He has the form of a class horse but he'll have to get his act together. I think a bit of nicer ground will suit him.”
(GC & AM)
