Willie Mullins Fairyhouse Review

Willie Mullins has one eye fixed firmly on his quest to retain the title of champion trainer in Britain, but the Closutton powerhouse is also very much focused on the home front and he enjoyed a good Easter weekend at Fairyhouse.

He picked up a handful of race wins, including a Grade 1 double on Sunday, but didn't quite manage to land the Aintree/Fairyhouse double as he had to settle for a podium finish in the Irish National on Monday.

Delayed start doesn't stop Mullins

The three-day Fairyhouse meeting was stopped in its tracks as heavy overnight rain on Friday led to Saturday's carding getting cancelled on raceday morning.

When things did get up and running on Easter Sunday, Mullins was out of the blocks in typical style, landing the two Grade 1 contests on the card.

Spindleberry got the ball rolling in the WillowWarm Gold Cup under Danny Mullins, as she became the first mare to win the race since Like-A-Butterfly in 2005.

Mullins had Champ Kiely and Ile Atlantique in the mix too and he was surprised that Paul Townend pinned his colours to the former.

As it turned out, Patrick Mullins was ejected from his seat on Ile Atlantique at the third fence, but the front-running Champ Kiely was swallowed up by Spindleberry and Firefox late on. The winner could have a quick turnaround for Punchestown.

"She shows a real liking for this place and I thought Danny gave her a lovely ride," said the trainer.

"Whether she goes to Punchestown or not I don't know, we'll have a look at the programme and see how things are. She's a nice mare for the future and I think she should be well able to stay three miles next season."

Aurora Vega too strong

Aurora Vega is starting to live up to her family name and she gave Mullins and Townend a fourth successive Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle win later on Sunday.

The daughter of the mighty mare Quevega is improving with each appearance on the track and she banished memories of finishing 11th in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham last month as she seemingly benefited from that experience and a step up to two-and-a-half-miles.

Townend always had her handily placed and, while her jumping wasn't always the tidiest, she showed a willing attitude to battle and there should be more to come from her next season in open company.

"She's like her mother, just getting better with age. She never showed me that sort of stuff at three or four but you have to let them come," said Mullins of the mare.

Monday treble signed off in style

There was no Irish National win for the Mullins camp, with favourite Quai De Bourbon finishing third under Townend, while Sa Majeste was pulled up by Simon Torrens, but he did find time for an Easter Monday treble on the card at Fairyhouse.

Last Kingdom bagged the opening Farmhouse Foods Novice Handicap Hurdle under Mark Walsh for owner JP McManus in cosy fashion and there wasn't long to wait for a second winner as the Grade 2 O'Driscoll's Irish Whiskey Juvenile Hurdle went to Blue Lemons under Townend in decisive fashion, from Henry de Bromhead's Its Bilbo and Gordon Elliott's Wendrock.

The winner had been pulled up in last month's Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham, but was seemingly well suited by the stronger pace here and connections of the Sullivan Bloodstock-owned four-year-old have confirmed there could be targets on the Flat over the summer months.

The Closutton camp signed off the meeting in real style as Sortudo built on last month's Champion Bumper seventh at Cheltenham to storm clear in the closing bumper under Patrick Mullins.

Just two days at Fairyhouse this Easter weekend instead of the usual three, but that didn't prevent the champion trainer from recording a handsome five winners at the Co Meath venue on what was a busy weekend both at home and abroad.