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Concertista pulls clear to win the Advent Insurance Irish EBF Mares Hurdle
Concertista confirmed her superiority over Minella Melody with another smooth win in the Advent Insurance Irish EBF Mares Hurdle at Leopardstown.
A winner at Cheltenham in March, she was a smooth scorer on her return to action and after her latest win looks sure to take plenty of beating if she travels back to the Cotswolds in the spring.
Dropped in off the pace by Paul Townend as Rachael Blackmore set a stiff tempo on Minella Melody, the 4-5 favourite made ground easily before coming away to win by six and a half lengths and continue Willie Mullins’ domination of the meeting.
Betfair cut her to 3-1 for the Mares’ Hurdle in March.
“She was very good,” said Mullins.
“It was a searching pace. We thought Mary Frances would go on, but Rachael went ahead. That suited our other mare My Sister Sarah.
“Paul elected to drop in, and I thought he might be a little too far out of it turning into the back straight. The pace up front got her back into the race. She was very brave and very good to do what she did there today.
“I’d imagine the Mares’ Hurdle is the target. She’d look nicely positioned for that race.
“We’ll come back here first for the Dublin Racing Festival. She’s improving all the time.”