Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle: Ashroe Diamond sparkles in Fairyhouse Grade One for Willie Mullins
The star mare didn't make it to the Cheltenham Festival for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle but picked up Grade One compensation at Fairyhouse on Easter Sunday; she proved much too good for long-time leader Whatcouldhavebeen, winning by five lengths
Sunday 9 April 2023 15:30, UK
Ashroe Diamond gained compensation for missing out on an appearance at the Cheltenham Festival with a dominant victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.
Placed behind the top-class pair of Marine Nationale and Facile Vega in successive Grade Ones earlier in the season, the six-year-old went on to claim a Grade Three prize at Fairyhouse in January, ensuring she headed to the Cotswolds as a major contender for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle - only to be ruled out on the morning of declarations.
Taking on several of those who did line up at Cheltenham, Ashroe Diamond was the 2-1 favourite to provide Willie Mullins with a sixth victory in the last 10 runnings of this Grade One contest and ultimately got the job done emphatically under an ice-cool ride from Paul Townend.
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In a race run at a strong gallop from flag-fall, the market leader was buried in midfield for much of the two-and-a-half-mile journey.
As the pacesetting Harmonya Maker faltered, 66-1 shot Whatcouldhavebeen made an eyecatching move to grab the lead and quickly took several lengths out of the field in a bid to cause a shock.
Townend, though, did not panic and Ashroe Diamond made up the ground comfortably between the final two flights, reeling in the leader and pulling five lengths clear on the run-in.
Mullins' assistant, David Casey, said: "She was very good, Paul said she did everything right. She got a bit keen, but she travelled like a dream and jumped brilliant. She did it very easy.
"Who knows what would have happened at Cheltenham, but it's great to win today - it's very important for the mares.
"Hopefully she'll go forward next year. She got a nasty cut behind there and I'd say she'll need a couple of stitches."
