Zola and Paul Townend© Photo Healy Racing
Zola (evens) made a stylish transition to the jumping ranks when capturing the Charleville Cheese Maiden Hurdle at Listowel under Paul Townend.
Townend and Zola’s trainer Willie Mullins suffered a reverse earlier on the card with the eclipse of ‘fours on’ chance Stratum in the Kerrymaid Hurdle.
In this three miler Zola seemed to have Cloudybackwest rsquo;s measure when that grey made a mistake at the second last.
It was soon a matter of ‘how far’ for Zola, and she eventually won by twelve lengths. Mister Fogpatches (11/2 into 7/2) came through for the second late on.
"She's all heart as she is probably the smallest mare we have in the yard. She has a lovely pedigree and her pedigree and heart showed there as she galloped for three miles in ground that's getting softer by the minute and jumped very well," reflected Mullins.
"We will keep her over a trip and getting black-type will be the next thing for her so she'll be aimed at those races."
(TW & EM)
