On a day when Irish point-to-point graduates claimed many of the feature races at venues across Britain and Ireland, it was the success of Getabird who stole all the headlines.
A four-year-old maiden winner at Largy when under the care of champion point-to-point handler Colin Bowe, the son of Getaway was forced to miss the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham last March, when ruled out of the race owing to injury having topped the ante-post market prior to his withdrawal.
A trip to Cheltenham is certainly on the agenda this March, as his dominant victory in the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novices’ Hurdle at Punchestown on Saturday, saw him leap to the top of the market for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival.
Making all of the running in the hands of Patrick Mullins, the six-year-old barely came off the bridle as he began to assert approaching the final flight in the 2-mile contest before stretching nine lengths clear of Grade 1 Royal Bond Hurdle Mengli Khan.
Getabird now follows in the footsteps of Vautour, Douvan and Min, as Willie Mullins-trained winners of one of the leading trials for the Supreme that is held on Irish soil.
Impressive! Getabird scoots to victory in the Grade 2 Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at @punchestownrace: pic.twitter.com/oa8ow98hOF
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) January 13, 2018
Just over and hour earlier, Mullins had saddled Invitation Only to run out a convincing winner of Punchestown’s other Graded contest, the Grade 3 Total Event Rental Novices’ Chase.
The Flemensfirth gelding who had won his four-year-old maiden at the first time of asking for Wexford’s Sean Doyle, also made all the running in the €44,500 two-mile four-furlong contest, and the 5/4 favourite, who was the mount of Mullins’ nephew David, always travelled well throughout.
Once shaken up after the final fence, the seven-year-old proved two and a-half lengths too good for his stable companion Koshari, to follow-up his impressive beginners chase victory at Navan.
Owned by Andrea and Graham Wylie, Invitation Only is now a 6/1 shot for the Grade 1 JLT Chase at the Cheltenham Festival which is now just two months away.
It's a 1-2 for Willie Mullins as Invitation Only lengthens away nicely to land the Grade 3 Novice Chase at @punchestownrace: pic.twitter.com/wxTUGhMm6S
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) January 13, 2018
The third and final Graded prize which went the way of an ex-Irish Pointer on Saturday, was the Grade 2 Ballymore Lemington Novices’ Hurdle at Warwick.
The two-mile five-furlong contest, which was won by last year’s Albert Bartlett winner, Willoughby Court, 12 months ago, has a habit of throwing up a nice type, and this year’s victor certainly looks to have a promising career ahead of him.
Mr Whipped, who won his four-year-old maiden at Lingstown last March for Denis Murphy when beating recent Leopardstown Christmas Festival winner, Flawless Escape, maintained his unbeaten record to give trainer Nicky Henderson a nice wedding day present.
The Beneficial gelding who cost £160,000 out of the Cheltenham Festival sale, followed-up two successive victories at Kempton and Newbury earlier in the campaign with a snug success in the hands of Nico De Boinville.
The five-year-old is now a general 14/1 shot behind fellow pointing graduate, Samcro, for the Grade 1 race of the same name at the Festival.
Nico de Boinville helps Nicky Henderson to another winner as Mr Whipped takes the Grade Two Ballymore Leamington Novices' Hurdle at Warwick
— Racing UK (@Racing_UK) January 13, 2018
Results ▶️ https://t.co/7iJOPsvjqx pic.twitter.com/T1gvhnXORF
Earlier on the Warwick card, Martin Hassett’s former Boulta four-year-old winner, Ms Parfois, notched-up her second consecutive victory in Listed contest when claiming the Hampton Novices’ Chase.
A Listed winner at Newbury before Christmas when taking on her own sex, the chestnut daughter of Mahler, was certainly not fazed by taking on the boys, as she recorded her third success in a row.
Victory in the three-mile contest saw her lead home a one-two-three for Irish pointing graduates, as she was chased passed the line by Duel At Dawn and Big River.
A great jump at the last by Ms Parfois seals her a hat-trick in Listed company at Warwick
— Racing UK (@Racing_UK) January 13, 2018
Results ▶️ https://t.co/7iJOPsvjqx pic.twitter.com/MriyJCTv5h
