Mullins strikes with rare outsider Bon Viveur at Thurles

Bon Viveur bounced back to form to spring a minor surprise in the BOYLE Sports Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle.

Just four runners went to post for the Grade Three contest, and surprisingly for a Willie Mullins-trained runner Bon Viveur was the rank outsider at 14-1 following a disappointing run at Navan last month.

All four runners were in in with a chance approaching the second flight from home, after which Bon Viveur and Open Secret asserted and it was the former who found most on the run-in to prevail by three-quarters of a length under Paul Townend.

The jockey said: “It was hard to get a few people on the phone beforehand so maybe that’s why he was such a big price! When you are riding for Willie, every day you have a chance though and this is for a very important owner (Jackie Mullins), so it is nice to get it done.

“To be fair he was plenty keen going so slow in behind them, but at times he gave himself a chance, I was able to sling-shot off the final bend and the two good jumps in the straight made the difference.

“He is a massive horse who covers ground and jumps really well, so I thought going so slow wouldn’t suit him. I thought I was doing everything wrong by letting it turn into a sprint but he showed a turn of foot that I didn’t expect.”

Mullins and Townend were completing a big-race double on the card after earlier teaming up to land the Carey Glass Irish EBF Colreevy Mares Novice Chase with 3-1 shot Karia Des Blaises.

The six-year-old was placed in her first four races over fences before falling at the final obstacle when again seemingly booked for minor honours at Limerick over the Christmas period.

She showed her true quality in this Listed event, coming home with 16 lengths in hand.

“Her Limerick fall might have just crowned her, which it often can do, as she has been very brave in the past,” said Townend.

“It definitely opened her eyes when she realised she had to have more respect for them.

“I was happy to take a lead but she probably jumped too well, although I didn’t then want to give away her advantage on that ground. I wasn’t looking behind too much but was confident I was conserving energy and felt it would take a good one to get past me.

“It has taken her a while to put it all together but has done so now and I thought it was a nice performance.”