Willie Mullins was successful in all four of the races that he fielded runners in at Naas with Samain completing the haul in the paddypower.com iPhone App (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race. Patrick Mullins did the steering on the Black Sam Bellamy gelding, a 165,000 purchase at Doncaster back in May, having finished runner-up in a bumper for Eddie Hales at Fairyhouse, and he was making it three in a row for Gigginstown House Stud here following on from Roi Du Mee and Rivage D'Or
The Mullins winners were Johnny McGeeney Golden Silver and Dare To Doubt (all ridden by Paul Townend) and in this concluding two miler Samain disputed favouritism with Mississippi River However out on the track there was no arguing with Samain's superiority as the German-bred beat Letter Of Credit by four and a half lengths.
Mullins, said of the last leg of his 49/1 accumulator: "I'm happy now that he's better going left-handed. He's improving too and that ground must be a bit better than the soft to heavy description because he's a good ground horse.
"That performance is up to scratch with any bumper horse I've run as it looked a good race. The owners wouldn't be keen on the Cheltenham Bumper so I'll have to see if I can twist their arm."
Samain is now a general 10/1 chance for the Cheltenham Bumper.
If Samain does make the trip to the Cotswolds he will be following in an illustrious line of horses to have won this contest before going on to the mecca of National Hunt racing. They include Hairy Molly and Pizarro and the 2009 victor was none other than the subsequent Ascot Gold Cup hero Rite Of Passage.
