Fun Fun Fun for Mullins with beginners chase clean sweep

Fun Fun Fun made an impressive start to her career over fences when leading home a one-two-three for Willie Mullins in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase at Naas.

Bred and ridden by the trainer’s son Patrick Mullins, the seven-year-old was a Grade Two bumper winner for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede and won at Listed and Grade Three level over hurdles.

She was a 7-2 shot for her first outing over the larger obstacles and having jumped well throughout on the front end, coasted clear in the home straight to register an emphatic seven-and-a-half-length success over stablemate Karia Des Blaises, with another Closutton inmate in Iris Emery back in third.

“She jumped well for a mare having her first run. She jumped the fifth last very well and got two lengths there which changed the race,” said Willie Mullins.

“The Opera Hat back here next month could be a possibility.

“Karia Des Blaises jumped indifferently, which left her with too much to do, but she’ll get her turn and Iris Emery ran a cracker.”

The champion trainer went on to complete a treble on the card, with Ile Atlantique (15-8) impressing in the Grade Two Racing Post Novice Chase before Joystick clung on for victory in the I.N.H. Stallion Owners Irish EBF Maiden Hurdle.

In deteriorating conditions, the 5-6 favourite had his rivals on the stretch from a long way out and while Honesty Policy finished with gusto, Joystick had just enough in hand to prevail by half a length.

“He’s a nice jumper and a real nice galloper,” Mullins added.

“I think he wants a longer trip but on that ground, he was well able to keep up a good pace the whole way. Stamina was coming into play in those conditions.

“He’s a horse that you would be looking forward to going chasing with next season.”

With heavy snow reducing visibility, Light Up The Dark was an appropriately named winner of the concluding Fifty Stars At Sunnyhill Stud (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race for Joseph O’Brien.

The previously unraced four-year-old justified 2-1 favouritism with a seven-length success in the hands of John Gleeson, who said: “It was a nice performance. Obviously it was very tough conditions but she did it very well.

“They are only four-year-olds and it’s early days for them, but you would have to be very pleased with her.”