In From The Cold (left) and Chris Hayes winning the Madrid Handicap at Naas© Photo Healy Racing
Mick Mulvany wasted no time getting off the mark for the 2020 Flat turf season at Naas a fortnight ago as In From The Cold did the Trim handler proud by landing the valuable Naas Business Club Madrid Handicap with stable-companion The King Of Kells also running a cracker in third.
“I think In From The Cold will make into a ten-furlong to a mile and a half horse. His dam is by High Chaparral and there is plenty of stamina.
“The King Of Kells could be one for the Scurry Handicap. It looks an ideal trip and he’s already won twice at the Curragh. He won three for us last year and is a good solid horse. I’d say he’ll get seven but he’s a different type than In From The Cold,” said Mulvany.
The Blue Panther also showed plenty of pace in the two-year-old maiden on what proved the sole meeting so far of the current campaign due to the coronavirus pandemic while Mulvany’s only other runner at Naas, Comfort Line, looks another future winner having been beaten just over a length in fourth behind possible classic contender Russian Emperor in a mile maiden.
“I think an awful lot of The Blue Panther. As the ground gets better you will see a better horse. He works really well but just got a bit tired on the tacky ground.
“Comfort Line is bred to get better from three to four and he’s a half-brother to Dew Line who won four races for us. Down the line he might go hurdling. He’s a big horse and is only developing.
“Ideal Pal and Silver Service (both home-bred by Tough As Nails) are good solid horses that are capable of running well in handicaps. Their pedigrees suggest they will get better with age.
“We have 17 riding out at the moment and there is a few more that we put a hold on. I normally only have about 15 but we have a few new owners this year. It’s a shame that racing is not happening for them.
“Every year we have been improving and getting more winners.
“Our horses seem to handle most surfaces but they do handle soft ground well. It’s probably coming from the stallions that we use.
“Our own stallion Tough As Nails is with Peter Maher now. They seem to handle all types of ground but are tough horses.”
