J’arrive bounces back to form for Mullins

J'arrive De L'est found plenty late on to land the spoils in the Clonmel Oil Service Station Handicap Hurdle at Powerstown Park this afternoon.

The Emmet Mullins-trained gelding had been pulled up on his two most recent starts over fences in the spring.

He went to post an 8/1 shot and cut out the early running under Alan O'Sullivan before being headed by Hopeful Hero after a circuit.

The It's Gino gelding joined that rival on the home-bend and Nelson Muntz also came to challenge over the second last.

J'arrive De L'est gained the advantage over the final flight and stayed on well to record a two-and-a-half length win over Hopeful Hero.

"It's good to win with him, he ran well early doors when he came to us in the cross-country races and then he lost his way, we never quite put our finger on why,” said Mullins.

“We toyed with ideas like wind ops and different things but, for luck, I gave him a break and he's come back in a better order.

"Hopefully he can push on the better things this season.

"We toyed with the idea of going to the Velka Pardubicka so he's been on the go for a while, it just didn't fall right at the time and the November cross-country race has been put back so we said we'd try and find something to keep him ticking over.

"It wasn't exactly the plan coming down here to make the running but Alan said there was no pace and I gave him free reign and he was very good, he was able to dictate the first mile and a half of the race and I'd say it was a big advantage for the horse to be enjoying himself that way.

"More than likely he'll go to Cheltenham for the cross-country in December. It's still probably five or six weeks away so we might try and go for another hurdle race in the meantime but we don't have to do anything. Hopefully there could be some bigger days ahead with this fella.

"Martin Gowing is from the UK, is a good supporter of Mikey Bowen and bought a few horses before Cheltenham last year. This is his first horse with us so it is great to get off to  a winning note."

(Quotes by Tom Weekes)