Image © Healy Racing
The Cheltemham Festival Hunter Chase may have evaded Emmet Mullins’ grasps for a second year, but 48 hours after his It’s On The line had to settle for the runners-up spot for a second year running, the Mullins team were among the winners in the Hunter Chase division with the progressive Romeo Magico obliging at Down Royal.
The Cheltemham Festival Hunter Chase may have evaded Emmet Mullins’ grasps for a second year, but 48 hours after his It’s On The line had to settle for the runners-up spot for a second year running, the Mullins team were among the winners in the Hunter Chase division with the progressive Romeo Magico obliging at Down Royal.
Sent off as the odds-on favourite despite disappointing in open company at Kildorrery last month, the six-year-old made much of the running with Dara McGill back aboard.
Travelling sweetly, the Affinisea gelding never had a moments worry as he began to ease clear of David Christie’s Global Assembly approaching the second-last fence, from where he soon had victory wrapped up.
That real battle proved to be for second, as Caroline McCaldin’s well-supported Portrush maiden winner Neo King came through to nab the second spot at the expense of Global Assembly who was sporting first-time blinkers having also filled the third position at Thurles on his most recent start.
The 11-length success was a second under rules for Romeo Magico following his maiden hunter chase victory at Limerick over Christmas and the winning rider felt that the drying ground proved to be a real asset for him, which should certainly stand him in good order heading deeper into the spring.
