Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MULLINS HAS ALL THE CLASS Hat-trick hopes with ’Ropes, Conti & Nation
WILLIE MULLINS is the man to follow at Tramore this afternoon where he looks to have excellent prospects of a treble.
The champion trainer supplies several of the day’s most interesting runners and these include Class Conti in the Tom Murphy Car Sales Day May 31st Chase.
Class Conti is another French recruit for Mullins and he hasn’t run for a year but such an absence from this yard is of no concern.
He has held his own at Listed and Grade 3 level and all this points to him being able to make a successful Irish debut.
He probably has most to fear from the former course winner Monatomic who would have won here earlier in the season only to fall late on.
If he comes back to the form that saw him chase home Poker Party in a handicap chase at Naas in February he would have an excellent chance.
Ontheropes can provide Mullins with his first success of the afternoon in the second of the maiden hurdles. THE brilliant Magical made a superb return to action with a commanding success in the Group 3 Alleged Stakes at Naas yesterday.
On her first outing since pushing Enable all the way in the Breeders Cup Turf, Magical looked better than ever. She travelled strongly through the race for Ryan Moore and then moved to the front with over a furlong to run.
Aidan O’Brien’s charge finished out strongly to defeat her stablemate and Irish St Leger winner Flag Of Honour by four and a half lengths. His latest fourth in a competitive event at Wexford was quite a decent effort and he might just be open to more improvement than the 118-rated Macgiloney.
Another likely winner for Mullins is the newcomer Stops A Nation who lines up the bumper.
This filly is a half-sister to her trainer’s top class dual purpose performer Wicklow Brave. She makes obvious appeal in race that maybe lacks strength in depth.
In the first of the handicap chases Oscar Lantern is taken to continue a good run of form for Eric McNamara.
This gelding hasn’t won for over a year but his last two runs at Limerick and Punchestown give him a big chance.
In the following contest it is hard to look past Littlestickarubarb who won nicely at Clonmel last time.
Owenacurra Lass ran with credit in a Clonmel maiden and she makes most appeal in the opener.
Tintown Robin hasn’t run for a few months but is the choice in the handicap hurdle. “We couldn’t be happier with that. The options for her now are either the Prix Ganay or the Mooresbridge Stakes and then the Tattersalls Gold Cup,” said O’Brien.
“Physically she has done very well over the winter and we never been happier with her at this stage of the season than we are now.”
Earlier Dermot Weld’s Imaging landed the Group 3 Gladness Stakes under Oisin Orr.
The recent Heritage Stakes winner came with a strong last furlong charge to defeat No Needs Never.