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Fleur In The Park lands Gold Cup for maiden Grade 1 success for Andrew Slattery and Cian Quirke

Updated / Sunday, 5 Apr 2026 17:53
5 April 2026; Jockey Cian Quirke and mount Fleur In The Park on their way to winning the WillowWarm Gold Cup during day two of the Fairyhouse Easter Festival at Fairyhouse Racecourse in Ratoath, Meath. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Cian Quirke enjoyed a breakthrough success on Fleur In The Park

Fleur In The Park provided his trainer Andrew Slattery and jockey Cian Quirke with a first Grade One success in an eventful renewal of the WillowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse.

Having been beaten on each of his previous attempts at Graded company over hurdles and fences, the seven-year-old was a widely unconsidered 22-1 chance for what looked a competitive affair featuring three Willie Mullins-trained runners, two for Gordon Elliott and a British Grade One winner in Fergal O'Brien’s Sixmilebridge.

It was the latter who took the field along for much of the two-and-a-half-mile journey, but he had several challengers rounding the home turn, at which stage all eight runners were still in with a chance of victory.

Pure Steel was the first to crash out three fences from home, Predators Gold then fell at the second-last, badly hampering and virtually bringing down Western Fold, who unseated Danny Gilligan.

Jacob’s Ladder led the remaining quintet on the approach to the final fence, but Fleur In The Park soon joined him and was in front on landing, finding plenty on the run-in to prevail by two and three-quarter lengths from the staying-on Kappa Jy Pyke.

Slattery said: "It’s great. This is my biggest day by a mile.

"I had a Group Two winner on the Flat (Creggs Pipes, 2017 Lanwades Stud Stakes). We’ve got a Grade One over jumps now and we’ll try to get a Group One on the Flat!"

He added: "We’ve sold a lot of Grade One horses through the years, we bought this horse as a foal and he was second in a Grade Two over hurdles, but we always thought he’d be a better chaser.

"He was unlucky to get beaten at Punchestown in a Grade Two and he got injured that day and was standing in a stable for a month. When he ran in Thurles he was only back on the go about six weeks and badly needed the run.

"We knew coming today that we had him as good as we could get him. I told the owners he won’t be out of the three.

"These moments don’t come too often and we’ll go to Punchestown now for the three-mile-one (Grade One novice chase)."

Zanoosh put the seal on her remarkable campaign with a Grade One victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Zanoosh (nearest), with Brian Hayes up, on their way to winning the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse, April 2026
Zanoosh (nearest), with Brian Hayes up, on their way to winning the Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle

Colm Murphy's charge was rated just 112 when her winning sequence began at Punchestown in December, but following handicap and Listed wins at Navan she secured a Grade Three prize at Limerick last month, earning her this step up to the highest level in pursuit of the five-timer.

Place De La Nation emerged best of a five-strong team for Willie Mullins, bidding to claim this race for the fifth year in succession and 10th time overall, but she was unable to resist 9-2 shot Zanoosh, who finished off strongly in the hands of Brian Hayes to win by a length and three-quarters.

While Murphy is of course no stranger to big-race success, having trained superstars like Brave Inca, Feathard Lady and Big Zeb, his last Grade One winner was over 14 years ago.

He's On Fire lived up to his name with a runaway victory in the Paddy Kehoe Suspended Ceilings Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

The five-year-old lined up as one of six runners for Willie Mullin and was the 3-1 favourite in the hands of Paul Townend and once given his head he scooted clear of his rivals in the home straight, quickening up smartly between the final two flights and safely negotiating the last to seal a thoroughly impressive 12-length success.

Mullins said: "It was very impressive. He’s shown us at home that he was half-decent.

"He looks like a real chaser in the making, he has size and scope. He might just be another good horse for Rich and Susannah (Ricci).

"I’m sure he’ll have no trouble getting three miles over fences. I thought he jumped well enough, but the way he opened up from the second-last was 'wow’, it was something else.

"We’ll have a look at the Grade One in Punchestown, but I’m looking forward to next year more than anything else, when he goes novice chasing. He was well named, I think."

Koktail Brut bagged his second Grade Two victory of the season at Fairyhouse in the Donohue Marquees Novice Hurdle.

With Cheltenham absentee and even-money favourite Leader d’Allier weakening quickly from the home turn, Royal Bond runner-up Blake emerged as 13-2 shot Koktail Brut’s biggest threat, but his challenge ended when falling at the final flight, leaving the Elliott runner and Jack Kennedy to score by nine and a half lengths.

"He’s a good horse, he was giving a penalty away there," said Elliott.

"It was nip and tuck down to the last and Noel Meade’s horse fell. Jack thought he had the beating of him and I thought it was a good performance.

"He could be a nice chaser next year. He was bought to be a big chaser down the road, he’s a gorgeous horse.

"I doubt if we’ll see him again this year. He’s a lovely horse for the future."

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Source: PA

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