Classy Mullins pair in action at Sligo The Willie Mullins-trained pair of Salsaretta and Msassa have their sights lowered significantly in the first two races at Sligo on Sunday. The Closutton dogs have been barking Salsaretta’s name for a long time, but she has presumably had her training problems during the course of the season as she did not make her debut for Mullins until March. Connections clearly took the view that it was too late in the season to attempt to win a maiden hurdle and she has instead been set two very tough tasks at Cheltenham and Fairyhouse. The five-year-old fell at the last when a long way behind Laurina in the Trull House Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Prestbury Park and again proved no match for esteemed stablemate when fifth in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final at Fairyhouse on Easter Sunday. However, she has far less on her plate in the Duke And Duchess Of Cornwall Mares Maiden Hurdle and it will be a major disappointment if she is unable to get off the mark. Msassa did win on his Irish debut at Wexford in March, comfortably accounting for one of last week’s Punchestown Festival winners in Park Paddocks. The Sholokhov gelding has come up short in major juvenile events at Fairyhouse and Punchestown since, but ran well enough when fourth at Grade One level at Punchestown to suggest he should be far too good for his four rivals in the Taylor Contruction And Civil Works Hurdle. Mullins is double-handed in the Kennedy’s Bar Sligo Rated Novice Hurdle, with Force Of Forces and Causey Arch also turning out quickly after running at Punchestown. Force Of Forces was pulled up in a handicap, while Causey Arch was well-beaten in a novice hurdle, but this is a much lesser race. Other contenders in the 20,000 euro contest include Noel Meade’s recent Kilbeggan winner Heroesandvillains, the Joseph O’Brien-trained Fairyhouse scorer Uisce Beatha and Monatomic from Gordon Elliott’s yard, who recorded a narrow verdict at Tramore three weeks ago.
