Willie Mullins received a timely boost before his powerpacked assault on this week's Cheltenham Festival when Micko's Dream made all under an enterprising ride from David Casey to win the final of the EBF Novice Chase Series at Navan on Saturday.
Ending the unbeaten tag over fences of the Ted Walsh-trained Rince Ri in the process, Casey dictated the pace aboard the improving seven-year-old and after he quickened the tempo rounding the home turn, he soon had the odds-on chance in trouble.
Earlier. Bushman's River, ridden by Ruby Walsh and trained by his father Ted, was a very easy to back 4 to 1 chance (from 5 to 2) for the opening four-year-old Ballinlough Maiden Hurdle but the French import easily obliged.
Three Kings was a very warm order to win the Ballivor Maiden Hurdle but ran well below par, finishing a remote 11th. Afterwards, he was found to be distressed, along with the majority of punters, as 33 to 1 shot River Rhyme (Philip Carey), trained on the Curragh by Eddie Butler, sprang a surprise.
Star Trix, carrying the colours of trainer handler Bunny Cox and off the track for nearly 14 months, gave punters another severe shock when scoring at odds of 25 to 1 in the Castletown Handicap Hurdle.
Noels Dancer, who started favourite for the Trim Handicap Chase, was also found to be distressed afterwards. He relinquished the lead over the fourth fence from home before dropping away tamely and was pulled up after crawling over the penultimate fence. Victory here went to John Fowler's Stag Party and Garrett Cotter.
With Le Grande Bard and Tommy Treacy causing another shock when taking the Baltinglass Beginners Chase, it was an afternoon most punters will want to forget.
However, in the bumper, the market leader, Pellegrini, bred and owned by former Dublin footballer Tony Hanahoe, made winning debut for the Jim Dreaper stable.
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