Image © Healy Racing
I Walked The Line remained unbeaten since joining Willie Mullins as he dominated the O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey Hunters Chase at Tramore on Monday evening.
Sent off as an odds-on favourite after defeating Magic Sadler in a maiden hunter chase at Clonmel on his stable debut back in early January, the five-year-old was sporting new silks at the Waterford venue, having recently changed hands to run in the colour of the recent Irish Grand National winning owner Paul Byrne.
Ridden by Luke Turner, the Walk In The Park gelding was swiftly send to the front of the field, and from there he made all of the running over the course of the 2m 5f contest, although it was not all straight forward for favourite backers.
They had an anxious moment when the former Ballingarry maiden winner almost parted company with his rider. The Carndonagh rider was able to swiftly regain his irons, and from there it was all plain sailing.
I Walked The Line went on to register an emphatic 17-length success over Catalani, with last year’s winner, Ta Se Rua, gamely taking third at the age of 13.
A trip to Stratford could next on the agenda for the John Corbett Cup at the end of May.
