Punchestown Festival: Gaelic Warrior cruises to first Grade One win

Gaelic Warrior landed the first Grade One of his career in the Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle at Punchestown – and it looks unlikely to be his last.

Stepped up to three miles for the first time, the Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old proved in a different league to his rivals, strolling to a 10-length victory under Paul Townend as the 4-5 favourite.

Last second finishing second to stablemate Impaire Et Passe in the Ballymore at Cheltenham, earlier in the season he had won one a highly-competitive handicap over two miles at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Gordon Elliott's Favori De Champdou had ensured the race was run at a true enough pace and approaching the second-last flight he was still in front with the Mouse Morris-trained Franciscan Rock and Noel Meade’s Affordale Fury ready to pounce.

Just in behind, though, was Townend who was sitting motionless and biding his time.

Gaelic Warrior hit the front on the run to the last and Townend only pushed him out with hands and heels to claim an easy victory.

His only two defeats since joining Mullins have come at the last two Cheltenham Festivals.

The Willie Mullins-trained Gaelic Warrior (4-5F) wins the Grade One Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle at Punchestown under a cool waiting ride from Paul Townend. pic.twitter.com/jWhttTirVG

Betfair went 8-1 from 20s for next year’s Stayers’ Hurdle, while Paddy Power went 6-1 from 8s for the Turners Novices’ Chase.

"The trip was a big help to him. I was hoping the ground would be a help to him, but Paul thinks it wasn’t," said Mullins.

"I think the trip was a lot of it and Paul was once again ice cool, sitting in behind a wall of horses waiting for the right gap to come and he produced him at the right time.

"He must come into staying hurdle territory now