MULLINS MAKES MERI WITH TREBLE SUCCESS

MERI DEVIE spearheaded a treble for Willie Mullins (above) in Punchestown by landing the featured Quevega Mares Hurdle.

The highest-rated of the six runners and suited by the race conditions, Meri Devie took the spoils in emphatic style to provide David Mullins with the second leg of a double.

She beat market rival Alletrix by six lengths to book her ticket to Cheltenham for the OLBG David Nicholson Mares Hurdle.

David Mullins had initiated the Closutton treble and his personal double when Cut The Mustard produced an improved display of jumping to make all in the INH Stallion Owners Maiden Hurdle.

And owner-rider David Dunsdon was on board the third Mullins winner of the day, Redhotfillypeppers, which also made all to capture the mares maiden hurdle in clear-cut fashion.

Eddie Harty enjoyed a welcome success on home soil when Kilfenora, back over hurdles, battled hard for Mark Walsh to see off favourite Call The Taxie in the Pertemps Qualifier.

The winner is likely to finish out the season over timber before resuming his chasing career.

And Charles Byrnes triumphed with his third four-year-old bumper horse in less than two weeks when Van Rumboldt, backed into 8/13, landed the finale under Richie Deegan.

year’s winner Our Duke, now rated 13lb higher, tops the weights for the €500,000 Boylesports Irish Grand National, to be run at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday.

Last Saturday’s Red

Mills Chase victor, on course, along with reigning champion Sizing John for the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup, heads a list of 97 entries for the Fairyhouse showpiece.

Thirty of the entries (including novice Jury Duty with 1-6) are trained by Gordon Elliott while only four are Britishtrained.