Sea Of Sands brings up doubles for Mullins and Hayes Having each scored in their own right earlier on the card, Willie Mullins and Brian Hayes combined to bring up personal doubles as Sea Of Sands ran out a game winner of the Solo Arte - An Irish Art Gallery At Punchestown Hurdle at the Kildare track. A dual winner on the Flat in Germany, the Sea The Stars gelding scored on his Irish/stable debut in a maiden hurdle at last year's Listowel festival. However, the seven-year-old failed to add to that success subsequently and was tailed off when last seen at the Curragh in September. Held up off the pace here by Hayes, the 13/2 chance improved from two out to go second entering the straight. Heading leader Immutable approaching the final flight, Sea Of Sands stayed on well to beat stablemate Charlus by two-and-a-half lengths. Hayes said: “It was a very good performance, he stuck at it well. “He had a great run last year in Fairyhouse, in the Royal Bond, and thankfully he’s delivering on that now.” Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
