Trainer Willie Mullins eyes Supreme Novices’ Hurdle for Kilcruit after seven-year-old claimed his first hurdles at Punchestown
- Kilcruit opened his account over hurdles at Punchestown on Monday
- He had been a beaten odds-on favourite at Cork and Leopardstown last month
- The seven-year-old finally delivered with 21-length victory from Bold Approach
Trainer Willie Mullins is likely to throw Kilcruit into a red-hot Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival after he opened his account over hurdles at the third time of asking at Punchestown.
The Paul Townend-ridden gelding, runner-up in the Grade One Cheltenham Festival Bumper last season before landing the equivalent contest at the Punchestown Festival, had been a beaten odds-on favourite over hurdles at Cork and Leopardstown in December.
A 1-5 favourite on Monday, he finally delivered with a 21-length victory from Bold Approach. Kilcruit holds an entry in the longer Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and is now eligible for handicaps but Mullins said: ‘He did everything efficiently.
‘I suppose we will keep him at the minimum trip.’
Mullins-trained Classic Getaway is 12-1 for the 3m Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle after he won the 2m 4f maiden hurdle at Punchestown.
Kilcruit (above) finally delivered with a 21-length victory from Bold Approach on Monday
