Invitation Only and Ruby Walsh (right) get home from Alpha Des Obeaux and Rob James© Photo Healy Racing
There was a 7th Thyestes for Willie Mullins, a 2nd for Ruby Walsh and a 3rd for the Wylies when 4/1 favourite Invitation Only triumphed in the Goffs-backed Grade A Gowran Park handicap.
This boiled down to a match between Invitation Only and pace-setter Alpha Des Obeaux from the second last.
Rob James dropped his whip from the back of the last on Alpha Des Obeaux, and a length and a quarter eventually split them at the line.
The Wylies and Mullins were also responsible for the third home, Up For Review (10/1), eleven lengths back under Paul Townend.
Last year's hero of the hour, Monbeg Notorious finished last of the fourteen finishers on this occasion.
Monbeg Notorious and Invitation Only both won point-to-points for the Doyles in Wexford and coincidentally enough Rob James won on the latter at Ballynoe in March 2015.
Paddy Power go 25/1 from 50/1 about Invitation Only for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
“It was a good performance. I just thought he might be ahead of the handicapper going out to three miles and so it's turned out. I'm very happy,” said Mullins.
“I declared at the weekend hoping we might get a bit of rain that never came. It was fast enough ground and I thought we'd skip that and come here today as there was a bit of rain in the forecast and we got that.
“All his form was soft or yielding ground or heavy ground. I decided there was no point going down to Thurles and it worked out that way.
“I was a bit worried with the way a few of ours are running that he might get to the second last and then stop.
“He was travelling so well with Ruby going down to the third last he took a pull and then just waited and waited.
“He got it right at the last, he met it really right. It was still up in the air going to the last but Ruby got the better jump, got his nose in front and held on from there.
“We'll see what the handicapper does but he'll get an entry for both (the Gold Cup and Grand National) after that run there today.
“Looking at him he's come out over three miles and he look like he would have kept going out around the bend so an extra half mile wouldn't be any harm to him at all.
“The Gold Cup will be a searching test and I think he'd be improving as he gets towards Cheltenham.”
When asked about horses getting sick:-
“Any farmer will tell you that cattle indoors are all getting sick because there isn't enough air going around.
“It's extraordinary, grass is going in January — it's mental that's what it is.
“We've had a short winter, we haven't had any really, and it's hard for those big three-mile chasers that are running there today.
“We've had soft ground in Limerick, Tramore, here today and maybe one other track but that's the only descriptions of soft ground we've had all winter.
“I'm lucky enough that I have horses that go on all types of ground but for the trainer with his one good horse that needs soft ground, look at Presenting Percy He got a bit of nice but had to run over hurdles today so it's very hard for someone like that has one or two horses in the yard and is waiting for a bit of ground.
“We've Cheltenham and the Leopardstown festival coming up next week. Theses horse are not getting a run.
“I think I've 18 runners today and it's not that I wanted to run them but we have the ground and it's our local track so I said we'd get them out, get a run under their belt and see what happens."
The Stewards interviewed Mr. P.W. Mullins, rider of Mall Dini concerning his use of the whip in the closing stages of this race, following a report from the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned and also from Patrick. G. Kelly, trainer of Mall Dini. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Stewards were satisfied that the rider was in breach of Regulation 10.3(f), in that he had used his whip with excessive force. Having taken his previous record in this regard into account and mitigating circumstances, the Stewards suspended Mr. P.W. Mullins for 1 raceday.
(GC & EM)
