McGuinness guides Zillow to breakthrough hurdles win A dual winner on the level in France, Zillow belatedly made the breakthrough over flights in the Sean Daly Memorial Handicap Hurdle. Bought by current connections for E300,000, the Willie Mullins five-year-old came in for good market support this evening and was returned the 9/4 favourite (from 4s) in the colours of the H O S Syndicate. Settled in mid-division by Anna McGuinness, the 117-rated victor was third approaching the last and soon came with his challenge between horses. Ridden to the front after that obstacle, he increased his advantage in the closing stages and came home three-and-a-quarter lengths to the good. Successful at Wexford last week, Paul's Dream (3/1) had to settle for second under Sean Cleary- Farrell for Tony Mullins, while the front-running Must Meet Cecil (17/2 from 18s early) was another half-a-length away in third. Bidding for a fourth win in-a-row, Ballykinlar finished a gallant fourth. "Willie has been very good to me and I'm very lucky that he's given me so many brilliant opportunities and I really appreciate him putting me up," McGuinness reflected. "I'm based with Willie full-time and have been there well over a year now, it's brilliant. "These 15 winners or less races are brilliant opportunities, it's great to have them. "I wanted to get him jumping and travelling where he was comfortable without forcing him early because the lads were all eager to go. "I gave him a chance and he stayed on well to the line, it's good to get his head in front today. "His run in Leopardstown at Christmas was very good, he was 11 lengths behind Kopek Des Bordes. A reproduction of that run today would have put him bang there and he's done it well. "The horse was brave to go through the gap and he winged the last. He went through, put his head down and plugged on to the line. It was good, he's a tough horse." STEWARDS REPORTS * D. Robinson, rider of Marelly, trained by P.J. Rothwell, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount never travelled. Additional reporting by Gary Carson
