Stars shows his versatility in style

RACING: PUNCHESTOWN REPORT:FRONT-RUNNING tactics worked with a vengeance for Ruby Walsh when Kauto Star bounced back to top form at Haydock on Saturday and they paid off in Grade One fashion again at Punchestown yesterday with Thousand Stars.

The Willie Mullins-trained grey filled the role of “super-sub” for Hurricane Fly in some style in the Ladbrokes.com Morgiana Hurdle, proving much too strong in the closing stages for both Oscars Well and Pittoni.

Thousand Stars was the centrepiece of a four-timer on the day for Mullins and the strength in depth of the champion trainer’s team has rarely been better illustrated by how Hurricane Fly’s defection during the week turned into just a brief hiccup to the Morgiana outcome.

Walsh’s belief in the horse he guided to French Champion Hurdle success in June wasn’t lessened in the slightest by the drop back to the minimum trip and that confidence was fully justified as Thousand Stars showed his versatility in style.

“He has been in Hurricane Fly’s shadow but is a good horse in his own right and is very versatile ground wise,” Walsh reported.

Mullins said admiringly: “He seems to run up to his mark every time. He has picked up a lot of prizemoney along the way and is a great servant. He will be left in the Hatton’s Grace (December 4th) as late as possible but he will probably go for the two mile Grade One at Leopardstown over Christmas. The Aintree Hurdle, which he ran a cracker in last season, is a long term realistic target.”

Thousand Stars’ versatility was further illustrated in the big race aftermath by 14 to 1 quotes from some firms for the Champion Hurdle, for which Hurricane Fly remains a hot favourite, and prices as low as 8 to 1 for the World Hurdle. The grey will be entered in both festival races.

A further illustration of Mullins’s fire-power was shown by the ante-post response to So Young’s bloodless return to action in the three-runner opener. Walsh barely moved a muscle in beating Fully Funded and some firms cut the five-year-old to as low as 10 to 1 for the World Hurdle.

“We’ll see how he comes out of this with a view to the Hatton’s Grace. But really I’d rather give him a longer break after a first run back and the three mile race at Christmas is favourite for his next run,” Mullins said. “I’ll be gearing him toward the bigger festivals in the spring.”

Later in the day, Dare To Doubt benefited from a wonderfully patient Walsh ride to comfortably win the handicap hurdle while Patrick Mullins did the steering on Make Your Mark who was much too good for his bumper opposition.

“That was a tremendous ride by Ruby,” Mullins said of Dare To Doubt. “We decided to change tactics as it was breaking her heart making the running last season.”

The big spring festivals are also on Last Instalment’s agenda after Philip Fenton’s runner made it two from two over fences in the Grade Two Florida Pearl Chase.

Davy Russell correctly picked the winner from the Gigginstown pair and Last Instalment was far from stretched to beat Four Commanders by six and a half lengths. Irish trained horses have won the RSA Chase at Cheltenham for the last three years and Last Instalment is a 12 to 1 shot to follow in those footsteps.

“That’s just perfect. It was a great round of jumping and he takes it all in his stride. I’d say he’ll go for the Fort Leney at Christmas,” Fenton said. “We will feel our way with him and soft ground is important as he is a top heavy horse. Cheltenham would be the dream but we’ll see how he goes.”

Four Commanders’ jockey Andrew Lynch had better luck in the other Grade Two novice chase, the Craddockstown, as Days Hotel battled on well to hold off Lucky William by over half a dozen lengths.