RACING:WILLIE MULLINS secured his 100th winner of the season in record time as Soll landed the odds at Down Royal yesterday.

The victory was not unexpected, with Soll sent off the 2 to 5 favourite to go one place better than his chasing debut second at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve in Down Royal’s NI Hotels Federation Beginners Chase. Ruby Walsh sent the giant seven-year-old to the front and he galloped his rivals into submission, holding off Harpsy Cord by four and a half lengths.

Mullins was becoming the fastest to reach 100 winners in an Irish season, and said: “I’m delighted to make 100. We have such a quality of horse at the minute. We’ll keep our fingers crossed we keep them healthy.”

Of the Cheltenham Festival-bound winner, he added: “He’ll probably go for the four-mile chase (National Hunt Chase) at Cheltenham. You saw how green he was passing the post. I doubt he’ll run between now and Cheltenham. I would like to get another run into him but it may be too close.”