Tornado Flyer (nearside) and I'm A Game Changer battle it out on the run-in© Photo Healy Racing
Tornado Flyer landed the odds for Danny Mullins and his uncle Willie when taking the Grade 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Klairon Davis Novice Chase at Navan.
The Flemensfirth gelding, a Grade 1 bumper winner and also a useful novice hurdler last term, has taken well to fences and was making it two from two at this discipline.
The 4/5 favourite met some traffic problems approaching two out where the Gordon Elliott-trained pair I’m A Game Changer and Eclair De Beaufeu both made mistakes.
Danny Mullins got a renewed effort out of Tormado Flyer to lead just after touching down at the last and stayed on well to beat I’m A Game Changer by four lengths.
Eclair De Beaufeu weakened to finish 21 lengths further adrift in third.
Danny Mullins said, "He was always going to be a class horse. Willie said 'just keep you powder dry early on'. For a race of that class they probably didn't go that much of a gallop for the first half mile and he was caught a little bit flat footed off the hill.
“Once I got him balanced down to the last I knew he'd have a good jump in him and he put it to bed nicely then. For a race that wasn't run at break neck speed I thought it was a good performance over 2m1f you wouldn't have to say he'll go further but it will be an option.
“He has got a bit of class, over hurdles maybe he's not a two-miler, but over fences there could be more to come at that trip and he can step up also.
“Davy kept me a bit tight but then I kept him tight around the home-bend. It was touche but there was a smile on my face as I got by him and that's race-riding. I knew once we straightened up for the last that I'd gallop strong to the line and a good jump at the last put it to bed fairly nicely.
“Most of these horses have either come from France or been point-to-pointers and have huge experience jumping whereas this lad went straight into a bumper.
“Paul Hennessy had him as a young horse and I remember we used to do a bit of popping at home and I'd ride a few for Paul. We always liked him then but he's a lad that's going to be improving all the time. He's got the engine there and that's the main thing.”
Paddy Power and Betfair cut him into 14/1 (from 20/1) for the JLT Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
(GC & AM)
