Monkfish continued a memorable Dublin Racing Festival for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend as he was a fourth former point-to-pointer to enjoy Grade 1 success at the weekend in the Flogas Novice Chase.
Having beaten the reopposing Latest Exhibition in the Neville Hotels Novice Chase at the Co. Dublin venue at Christmas, the former Stowlin maiden winner for Cormac Doyle, the seven-year-old was sent off as the 1/2 favourite for the drop back to 2m 5f.
Townend again kept the tactics simple on the eye-catching chestnut, bouncing him out once the tapes went up and from there he was never headed.
A superior jump over the penultimate fence saw him get the initiative over his long-standing rival Latest Exhibition as he went on to record an 11-length success, the largest winning margin that he has enjoyed over fences.
Fellow point-to-point graduates Andy Dufresne and Asterion Forlonge made the frame, finishing in third and fourth positions respectively.
“The horses are just in fantastic form. What can you say after a performance like that? Paul thought he should be in the next race (Irish Gold Cup),” said Mullins.
“Today I was more impressed than any day. It looks like he might be getting better with each run, it was the ease with which he did it.
“Everything is just so effortless. He just goes down, jumps, gallops. He seems to always be in the right position, he has huge scope – no matter where he is he gets his shoulders off the ground and bends his back.
“Paul never looked worried, he looked like he was a lead horse for the others, turning for home.
“It’s as easy watching him as any horse, he just does everything so easily.
“I presume that (Festival Novices’ Chase) is next, but we’ll enjoy today.”
Monkfish is now a general 7/4 favourite for the Grade 1 Festival Novices’ Chase, with his success following on from the Grade 1 victories of Appreciate, Sporting John and Honeysuckle earlier in the weekend.
