Kappa Jy Pyke surprises Salvator Mundi in Mullins one-two There was a major shock in the opening Thurles Racecourse Beginners Steeplechase as Kappa Jy Pyke overturned stablemate and long-odds-on-favourite Salvator Mundi to give Willie Mullins a one-two. Salvator Mundi, a Grade 1 winner over hurdles in Aintree, led at the first fence on his chasing debut and dictated throughout under Paul Townend. The pair asserted four out, but Danny Mullins aboard another chasing debutant, Kappa Jy Pyke, improved into second before the next. The front two looked to have the spoils to themselves as they drew clear at the penultimate fence and Kappa Jy Pyke soon slipstreamed Salvator Mundi who came under a drive from Townend before the last. Kappa JY Pyke was switched out to challenge the leader in jumping the final obstacle and soon took over on the run-in. Mullins steered him in by a length and a-quarter at 6/1 from the 1/7 favourite. There was a whopping gap of 29 lengths back to Donnie Devito at 12/1. The winning jockey said: "Being the horse that Salvator (Mundi) is, you'd be thinking he would be hard to beat but, as the race developed, my jumping was great and I was able to play it tactically late on. Thankfully, it came off. "Willie wants us all going out to try and win, and thankfully I came out on top today. "Paul (Townend) had picked him (Kappa Jy Pyke) over the horse I rode (third-placed Funiculi Funicula) at Aintree as he thought he had a winning chance there, but he didn't perform. He seems to have come back a stronger horse and hopefully he can keep building on that." Trainer Mullins landed this race for the sixth time in the last seven renewals. Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
