Blizzard Of Oz another for Mullins & Townend Blizzard Of Oz (9/4) gave Wille Mullins a fourth winner of the afternoon at Thurles in the Jimmy Neville And Aine Hurst Memorial Hurdle. A Listed winner over fences in October but below par in top handicaps since, the eight-year-old was switching back to hurdles for the first time since May 2024. In the five-runner affair over two miles, seven furlongs, the Arctic Cosmos gelding headed Timeless Treaty after the last and stayed on well to post a length and a quarter victory with tailed-off favourite Western Walk the only other to complete. Paul Townend, completing a treble of his own and a double for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, said "The horses are hitting form at the right time and riding this horse from the last (hurdle) to the line, they just seem to get you out of trouble when they hit that form. "Thankfully, they seem to be running well and nothing beats riding winners for confidence and, like anyone in any sport, you need confidence." Regarding Blizzard Of Oz, he added "That will do his confidence the world of good. He still had a couple of sticky jumps and I thought his jump at the second-last might have cost me, but he found plenty which he hasn't always done. "He is a hard horse to get to hit right, but I had an easier task today than on his last few runs." Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
