Mullins celebrates grade 1 double

Willie Mullins bagged one of the Punchestown Festival’s biggest prizes on Thursday, as his antepost favourite Fiveforthree cruised to victory in the grade 1 World Series Hurdle.

Fiveforthree was expertly guided by Ruby Walsh, who held his runner up well behind the leaders for most of the race before putting his foot on the gas in the final furlongs to take what ultimately proved to be an easy victory.

“He did it fantastically, and we just said we would sit and wait as there was going to be plenty of pace,” Mullins was quoted as saying in the Irish Times. “He had enough gears, when push came to shove. I’m going to go chasing with him, I think.”

A happy day for Mullins was capped later in the evening as Barker put in a strong performance to win the grade 1 Cathal Ryan Memorial Swordlestown Cup Novice Chase.

“I was worried coming here that two miles was going to be too sharp,” Mullins said of the surprise winner. “After Fairyhouse, I had been considering stepping him up to three miles, rather than dropping back in trip. His jumping is spectacular and his jumping took him into the lead.”