Squadron Commander and Patrick Mullins© Photo Healy Racing
Willie Mullins saddled a short-priced double at Cork as Squadron Commander recorded a decisive win on debut in the McCarthy Insurance Group INH Flat Race.
The Closutton maestro was on the mark earlier as Livelovelaugh justified odds of 4/7 by making all under Paul Townend in the beginners chase but Patrick Mullins adopted more patient tactics here.
The 4/6 favourite made good headway to lead two furlongs out and soon asserted to score by four and a quarter lengths.
Love N’ Peace cut out a lot of the running but looked a spent force early in the straight.
However she rallied well under pressure to take the runner-up spot, with Buck A Trend another two and a quarter lengths away in third.
Mullins said, "He is a nice type and I'm happy with the way he handled that ground and I think there'll be a lot of improvement on better ground. We'll go up a grade now and go for a winners bumper and stick to that route this season."
(TW & AM)
