Decoy Out To Be The Daddy

Tony Mullins is set to give Decoy Daddy a steep rise in grade and aim at the Barry & Sandra Kelly Memorial Novice Hurdle at Navan on December 16.

The five-year-old holds an entry in a Listed event at Punchestown this weekend but Mullins was so taken with the way he won his last race at Cork that he is keen to have a go at the big boys.

'I think we are going to wait for the Grade One. We'll take him for the Barry Kelly the week after,' said Mullins.

'We just thought that he jumps so well and he is so forward that we would have a crack at the big one.

'You don't learn much in the smaller races and he jumps so well that we feel he is ready for it.

'We are going up from two miles to two and a half which we are a bit anxious about but we think he is forward enough to do it.

'The ground isn't really a problem as there was a good cut in it at Cork and also at Tramore when he won his bumper, even though it was in August.

'He's from the family of Silver Birch so he should stay all right.

'It's always a really good race and along with the Fairyhouse race (Royal Bond) it tells you what horses are around.'

Instead of Decoy Daddy, Mullins will run Your Sum Man in the INH Stallion Owners European Breeders Fund Novice Hurdle.

'We'll probably run Your Sum Man in the Listed race on Sunday, he's not a bad horse,' he continued.

'He's won two bumpers and he was second in a maiden hurdle last week, he's a good, hard-knocking horse. He might not be in the league of some of the others but he is improving.

'They think quite a bit of the horse that beat him (Raven's Run).'

(C) PA Sport