Mullins pleased as Shaneshill eases to win at Fairyhouse

Top bumper performer Shaneshill made a pleasing start to his jumps career with an easy win in the Fairyhouse Membership 2015 Maiden Hurdle at the County Meath venue.

The 2-11 favourite dispensed with the opposition as expected to remain 7-1 market leader with Paddy Power for the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and unchanged at 10s for the Supreme.

Ruby Walsh had the Willie Mullins-trained Punchestown Festival winner handy as Luckynumberslevin set the pace before taking it up effortlessly at the final flight.

Wearing the colours of Andrea and Graham Wylie, Shaneshill was not hard-pressed to win by four lengths from Keppols Queen.

Mullins said, “I’m very pleased with that. He jumped very well apart from the third last, and given his bumper form he was entitled to do that.

“He could go back to two miles or up in trip, and he’s certainly not restricted by trip. For his pedigree he handled the ground well.”

Mullins is ready to unleash some of his big guns this weekend as the jumps seasons continues to get into full swing.

The trainer’s hopes are headed by Faugheen as the Cheltenham and Punchestown winner makes his eagerly-awaited reappearance in the Coral Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday.

Ballycasey is set to miss the Amlin 1965 Chase there and stay nearer home for the Race That Stops A County ‘Thyestes Chase Jan 22nd’ Chase at Gowran the same day.

Vautour, another who was successful in novice hurdles at Cheltenham and Punchestown, is to make his fencing debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase at Navan on Sunday.

“Faugheen runs at Ascot and hopefully he’s the horse that everyone says he is,” said Mullins. “Vautour will go to Navan on Sunday.

“Turban will go for the graduation chase at Haydock (on Friday) but Ballycasey will probably go to Gowran on Saturday instead of travelling over.”

Mullins’ stable jockey Ruby Walsh confirmed he will be at Ascot on Saturday.

“We have Vautour, Faugheen, a couple of good ones at Gowran Park as well on Saturday. Obviously, I’ll be at Ascot,” he said. “We have a good team for the weekend.”

Eoghan O’Grady is keen to run Unoccupied in the Betfred Becher Chase at Aintree if the eight-year-old can line up off his proper mark. Unoccupied, who made a pleasing reappearance when third in the Cork Grand National earlier this month, is among 47 entries for the three-and-a-quarter mile handicap over the famous fences on December 6th.