Zanoosh puts Colm Murphy back in Grade One business

Zanoosh put the seal on her remarkable campaign with a Grade One victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Colm Murphy’s charge was rated just 112 when her winning sequence began at Punchestown in December, but following handicap and Listed wins at Navan she secured a Grade Three prize at Limerick last month, earning her this step up to the highest level in pursuit of the five-timer.

Place De La Nation emerged best of a five-strong team for Willie Mullins, bidding to claim this race for the fifth year in succession and 10th time overall, but she was unable to resist 9-2 shot Zanoosh, who finished off strongly in the hands of Brian Hayes to win by a length and three-quarters.

While Murphy is of course no stranger to big-race success, having trained superstars like Brave Inca, Feathard Lady and Big Zeb, his last Grade One winner was over 14 years ago.

He said: “It’s fantastic, and the manner in which she did it.

“In fairness she’s answered every question we’ve asked her this year. You’re never confident coming to a Grade One, but we were probably never happier with her coming here. Whether she was good enough or not was the next question.

“We still don’t know how good she is. She has a lot of ones after her name and she’s similar in that way to the others (Grade One winners he has trained).

“She’s done nothing but improve and this year she’s been a revelation. It’s fantastic for everyone at home.

“The syndicate goes back to Brave Inca days. Oran Crean has been with me from day one and we’ve had a lot of nice horses along the way.

“We picked her up as a three-year-old at the Land Rover sale. She was €41,000 and she looks a good buy now.”

When asked if Zanoosh could run at the upcoming Punchestown Festival, the trainer added: “There is every possibility. We’ll see how she comes out of it.

“I thought after Navan that you wouldn’t see her again and then we ended up at Limerick. In fairness she’s improving every day and if she improves again I don’t see why you won’t see her.

“I’ve been talking about mares’ chases all along and there will be a few questions to be asked next year about where we go.

“There is no reason she won’t jump a fence, she’s been schooled over them.”