Gaelic Warrior landed the first Grade One of his career in the Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle at Punchestown – and it looks unlikely to be his last.
Stepped up to three miles for the first time, the Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old proved in a different league to his rivals, strolling to a 10-length victory under Paul Townend as the 4-5 favourite.
Last second finishing second to stablemate Impaire Et Passe in the Ballymore at Cheltenham, earlier in the season he had won one a highly-competitive handicap over two miles at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Gordon Elliott's Favori De Champdou had ensured the race was run at a true enough pace and approaching the second-last flight he was still in front with the Mouse Morris-trained Franciscan Rock and Noel Meade’s Affordale Fury ready to pounce.
Just in behind, though, was Townend who was sitting motionless and biding his time.
Gaelic Warrior hit the front on the run to the last and Townend only pushed him out with hands and heels to claim an easy victory.
His only two defeats since joining Mullins have come at the last two Cheltenham Festivals.
The Willie Mullins-trained Gaelic Warrior (4-5F) wins the Grade One Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle at Punchestown under a cool waiting ride from Paul Townend. pic.twitter.com/jWhttTirVG
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) April 26, 2023
"The trip was a big help to him. I was hoping the ground would be a help to him, but Paul thinks it wasn’t," said Mullins.
"I think the trip was a lot of it and Paul was once again ice cool, sitting in behind a wall of horses waiting for the right gap to come and he produced him at the right time.
"He must come into staying hurdle territory now after that. He has the option of going chasing, but we’d have to have a good look at keeping him over hurdles. That looks to be his job there.
"We’ll get home and think about it but what I saw there, the way he improved going that extra trip, he looks to have the Stayers’ Hurdle written all over him.
"He does jump a bit right but those type of horses always settled the more racing they get, he’ll get the hang of it."
Gaelic Warrior's tendency to jump out to his right means he's a more effective horse racing clockwise. pic.twitter.com/JsCSfmzqto
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) April 26, 2023
Townend said: "When they rushed around me, they were committed at that stage so I was happy to see that happening.
"He settled like a dream and that was the key early on.
"Going that way is a huge help because you make him keen by trying to keep him straight."
A Dream To Share (8-11F) proved beyond any doubt he is the best bumper horse in training with a tenacious victory in the Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion INH Flat Race.
Not only was he following up his Cheltenham Festival success, he was completing a five-timer in the process, almost unheard of in the bumper sphere.
It was Willie Mullins' Tullyhill who made the winner pull out all the stops on this occasion, with the Cheveley Park Stud-owned five-year-old taking a big step forward from his sole win at Gowran.
Patrick Mullins travelled into the home straight seemingly going much better than his teenage contemporary John Gleeson, who was hard at work on the odds-on favourite.
The two got close together inside the final furlong, but A Dream To Share, trained by the veteran John Kiely, showed he had guts to go with his undoubted ability, and once on top he forged three and three-quarter lengths clear.
It was just the third time in 11 years Mullins had not won the premier bumper at the Punchestown Festival.
Winning machine A Dream To Share (8-11F) adds the Grade One Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion INH Flat Race to an unbeaten record that now extends to five races. pic.twitter.com/aEtOghx7fn
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) April 26, 2023
Gleeson said: "I can’t believe it, I’m very, very lucky to be honest.
"He’s a very, very special horse and I’m very lucky to be riding him.
"I thought when Jody (Townend on It’s For Me) went along the outside, we got racing plenty early and I was just trying to bide my time. You can get sucked in there a bit early around that bend to get racing.
"He’s so straightforward, he has so much class. It just wows me. He’s such an honest horse, he gives you 110% every morning, even on the gallop. He tries his heart out for you and he had to dig deep today.
"I thought he was even more impressive today to show that toughness."
Star bumper performer A Dream To Share has proven aptly named for his trainer John Kiely and the Gleeson family. pic.twitter.com/3YDwHTivCJ
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) April 26, 2023
Kiely said: "He’s an amazing horse to keep his form for so long.
"He had to dig deep at the end, I think Patrick’s horse is a very decent horse. John was against a strong man and did well for his age.
"The races all came at a distance apart, they were timed that we were able to work it. The space between Dublin, Cheltenham and now suited us.
"JP (McManus) was a great man to go out and buy him, but he bought a nice horse.
"He’s a great battler, he battles well and that’s a big plus. I couldn’t have had him better and I was delighted with him coming here."
He went on: "He had jumped before we thought anything of him, but since he showed us something we were minding him. From here on now I’d say he’ll learn to jump.
"I’ll keep going for another while but very soon my nephew Tommy is going to join me on the licence.
"He’ll take over and do long journeys and I can sit back and watch. I’ll be around though for as long as I’m left.
"This horse is worth getting up for in the morning, but checking his legs is a worry every day!"
