Instit shocks Allegorie De Vassy at Fairyhouse

Instit turned over her much better-fancied Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Allegorie De Vassy to win the BoyleSports Mares Novice Chase at Fairyhouse.

Allegorie De Vassy appeared to have the perfect opportunity to get back to winning ways having been narrowly denied by Impervious at the Cheltenham Festival.

It would have been an easy decision for Paul Townend to choose her over Instit, given there was officially 20lb between them on ratings.

Everything appeared to be going smoothly for Townend as he tracked 15-2 shot Instit into the straight, but as has happened so many times in recent years, Danny Mullins had given his mount the perfect ride from the front.

Having taken over on the run to the last, Townend suddenly looked worried in front and Instit had just about regained the upper hand before Allegorie De Vassy made a jolting mistake and the race was over.

"She's a mare that hadn’t fulfilled her potential over fences verses what I’d seen from her over hurdles," said Danny Mullins.

"I was conscious not to set it up for Paul and save my own petrol in parts. The race mapped out perfectly for him and my filly still managed to come out on top.

"We went good even fractions for the first two miles and were able to get a breather in. A great jump at the third-last gave me a chance and of the two mistakes at the last mine was more minor which allowed me to land galloping a bit faster and got away to win nicely."

There was also a surprise victor in the Low.ie Best For Mortgage Protection & Life Insurance Hunters Chase as Annamix (18-1) won for the first time since November 2020.

Once an ante-post favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, it is fair to say Rich and Susannah Ricci’s grey has not lived up to expectations.

Even in the