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Murcia claimed an easy victory in the Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree.
The filly, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend in the Honeysuckle colours of Kenny Alexander, was beaten in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham but bounced back under a positive ride to show her true talent.
Making the most of her weight allowance, the 11-4 winner led over the last to come home unchallenged, by six lengths from Live Conti.
Mullins said: “I wasn’t expecting anything like that. I was hoping better ground would make a difference and that she might finish in the first four.
“If you’re not in you can’t win is my motto. It was a big improvement on the nicer ground and physically carrying less weight has helped her, it’s a better weight for a mare.”
When asked if he was tempted by Punchestown, Mullins said: “Yes!
“Hopefully she’ll come out of that well and she seems a tough mare, we haven’t spared her this winter, but to put up a career-best in April is a good sign.
“It will make next year more difficult, but she’s a Grade One winner now, there’s a nice programme for the mares so after Punchestown she can have a nice break – unless we take her to Auteuil!”
A delighted Alexander said: “She’s just improved all the time. Her Cheltenham run was OK, but today was something else – she must have improved a stone from Cheltenham there, I think maybe the faster ground might have helped her, we’ll use that as an excuse.
“After Honeysuckle, I thought that was it, I thought it would be like Man United after Fergie, in the wilderness for a decade or whatever it is, but since then we’ve been lucky to bag a few and this is another good one.”
Of Live Conti, Dan Skelton said: “He was a bit green on the way round and I was surprised how much pace he showed because he’s National Hunt-bred and wouldn’t strike you as a fast horse at home.
“He’s run exceptionally well, giving 7lb to the winner who was very good on the day. I’ve got a lot of belief in him going forward and even more so after today.
“We’re lucky to have horses like this as you know that as they get stronger and go chasing they’re hopefully going go be headline makers.
“That will be him for this season and we’ll stick to hurdling next year. We’d rather just take that extra year and make sure we’re getting it right for the following one.”
On whether he is feeling the pressure as far as the trainers’ title is concerned following a flying start to Aintree for reigning champion Mullins, he said: “Not at this point, no. We’ll see how the next couple of days go and we’ll see about the Grand National, but not at the moment.
“We’ve had two runners today and both have run unbelievably well. I’m not worried yet.
“If Willie does beat us again that would be borderline unnecessary!”
Mullins also ran Willy De Houelle in the race but he suffered a fatal fall some way from home in the two-mile-one-furlong event.
His jockey Rachael Blackmore walked into the ambulance but was later reported to be uninjured.
