Allegorie De Vassy made light work of the YellowFord & Drumlin John & Chich Fowler Memorial Irish EBF Mares Chase at Fairyhouse, as Willie Mullins enjoyed a superb start to 2025.
The eight-year-old was contesting the Grade Three as the 5-4 favourite under Paul Townend, a race she finished second in last season when well beaten by Gordon Elliott’s reopposing Riviere d’Etel.
Again a field of five assembled for the race and Allegorie De Vassy made all of the running, making smooth progress throughout and strolling to a straightforward triumph with her nearest rival 25 lengths behind in the shape of Gavin Cromwell’s Limerick Lace.
“It was nice performance from her. She enjoyed being in front today and Paul said she just enjoyed her jumping and galloping,” said Mullins.
“Even with the 24mm of rain they had here the ground needed it all. It’s still not real winter heavy or anything like that and she enjoyed that nice bit of ground.
“She put in some super jumps and I’m very happy with her.
“We’ll possibly look at the Opera Hat next at Naas, it’s down in trip which wouldn’t be ideal but it’s a mares’ race.”
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/65abf559-3707-4319-8e5a-c4e7e733d18d-scaled.jpg12802560Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2025-01-01 15:10:492025-01-01 15:10:49Allegorie De Vassy takes Grade Three honours at Fairyhouse
Allegorie De Vassy’s odds for the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham were trimmed following a cosy success at Naas on Saturday.
Willie Mullins’ charge was on something of a redemption mission in the BBA Ireland Limited Opera Hat Mares Chase after an odds-on reverse at the hands of the reopposing Riviere D’Etel on New Year’s Day.
The latter came home 33 lengths clear on that occasion, but Allegorie De Vassy righted the record in this Listed heat.
Sent off a 5-2 chance in the hands of Paul Townend, Allegorie De Vassy survived some sticky early leaps and was travelling notably better than 7-4 favourite Riviere D’Etel approaching the final couple of obstacles.
Allegorie De Vassy looms up in the straight and runs out a ready winner of our Listed highlight, the @BBAIreland Limited Opera Hat Mares Chase.
She fairly skipped over the final fence to coast home by four lengths and Paddy Power make her a 7-2 chance from 5s for the the Festival contest in which she finished second last year.
Mullins said: “That was a better performance, especially considering how badly she jumped over the first four fences.
“She just wasn’t herself and it took her until about the fourth last before she really started to jump and then she got into a rhythm and flew.
“We might have been lucky that the two in front took each other on. It might not have been as flashy as we thought it was.
“I’m happy enough with how she’s run, and she’ll go for the Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham.”
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/0332aeb5-9825-4016-9744-8bba967b05cd.jpg9991999Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2024-02-10 16:33:552024-02-10 16:33:55Allegorie De Vassy on the Festival path after Naas victory
Allegorie De Vassy began her season with a win in the T.A. Morris Memorial Irish EBF Mares Chase, although she was made to work hard by stable companion Instit.
Sent off the 8-11 favourite, Willie Mullins’ Allegorie De Vassy made a mistake and the first and jumped the second very big before settling into a rhythm.
In the meantime Danny Mullins had Instit travelling well in front and and the pair were out to repeat their victory over their better-fancied stable companion at Fairyhouse in April.
Paul Townend began to get serious on the market leader two from home and was all out with a narrow advantage at the last, which she met on a long stride to seal the deal.
She ended up winning by two and a quarter lengths with Henry de Bromhead’s Maskada, winner of the Grand Annual, a little disappointing in fourth.
Townend said: “She ended off last year poorly and couldn’t have started better this year. There’s plenty to work on and I thought the two mares (Allegorie De Vassy and Instit) ran well, and the two will come on for it.
“On the whole, she’s a very good jumper, but for whatever reason she just gave the first a good clout and got careful for a fence or two. She was big after that for a couple but warmed up and when I needed her down the straight, she came through.
“She was beaten by a very good mare at Cheltenham (Impervious) and that probably left a mark for the rest of the season. She’s back now and we’re delighted with her.”
Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy tuned up for what they hope will be a fruitful two days at Down Royal with a double.
Farren Glory, thought good enough to make his hurdling debut in a Grade Two at Fairyhouse last April, put that experience to good use when making all the running in the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle.
He beat fellow 13-8 joint-favourite Irish Panther by almost 10 lengths.
Kennedy said: “He jumped a bit big at a couple but I’m very happy with him overall. He was keen but I think he’ll settle in behind a couple of horses.
“He did plenty with me the whole way around but still picked up well and galloped to the line. He is a lovely horse and I was impressed with him.”
Stuzzikini (9-2) then cruised to success in the Clonmel Oil Service Station Handicap Hurdle, beating Kim Muir winner Angels Dawn by 31 lengths.
“To be honest, I was always happy. I got there plenty soon on him as he can pull up in front but there was nothing to bring me along any further,” said Kennedy.
“I thought he loved that ground and hopefully he can keep going the right way.”
Elliott then added a third winner as Rainbow Trail (4-1) took the concluding bumper under Josh Williamson, giving the young jockey is second winner.
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ce533afe-33e0-43bc-9573-fcf7b4fc100e.jpg5501100Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2023-11-09 15:19:092023-11-09 16:30:05Allegorie De Vassy on the mark at Clonmel
Allegorie De Vassy’s winning streak continued as she cantered to victory in the Coolmore N.H. Sires Mogul Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase at Thurles.
The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old has been victorious in three previous starts for the Clossuton handler, most recently taking the Grade Two Dawn Run Mares Novice Chase at Limerick by 19 lengths.
At the same level at Thurles she was the 1-8 favourite to oblige again – but gave onlookers a fright when pausing to take a look at the first fence and nearly unseating Paul Townend.
That was the only moment of doubt, however, as the bay then strolled home without seeing another rival to prevail by 19 lengths once again.
Mullins said: “Maybe it was my fault as I said to Paul to let her go from the start and she was too exuberant at the first – I don’t think he’ll be listening to me again!
“Paul thinks it was pure exuberance and he was letting her roll down to the fence rather than pulling her together and asking her. She went off right, but he gathered her together more after that.
“I think it was a one-off thing and she didn’t get a jump this week as our jumping area was frozen.
“She was just too fresh and exuberant, but settled into it nicely and confirmed what she showed at Limerick.
“What impressed me at Limerick was that she was able to jump so well out of the heavy ground – most horses can’t keep that up for two miles and four furlongs, but she did against good opposition.”
Paddy Power make Allegorie De Vassy the 13-8 favourite for the Mares’ Chase they sponsor at Cheltenham, with Coral going 6-4 for the Festival contest.
Mullins added: “I’m very pleased today and doubt she’ll run before Cheltenham although she will have a school somewhere, maybe after the Dublin Racing Festival or the week after that. At the moment the mares’ chase (at Cheltenham) is where she’ll go.”
Henry de Bromhead had a smart-looking winner on the card as Belle The Lioness took the Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle under Rachael Blackmore.
The 2-7 favourite was not foot-perfect over the final two flights but still booked her ticket to Cheltenham with a half-length victory.
“We’ve had a lot of fun with her and she hasn’t been out of the first two for us. She got lit up by the loose horse and plenty went against her and in a better race, the way to ride her is to take your time,” De Bromhead said.
“On her previous run, we are going to aim for the mares’ novice hurdle at Cheltenham – we’re entitled to go and take our chance. She has done plenty already, has her black type and will go straight there.”
In the concluding Thurles Racecourse Hunters Chase there was a winning favourite again as Ferns Lock won at even money – meaning all seven races on the card were claimed by the horse at the top of the market.
A 20-length winner ahead of Cheltenham and Punchestown champion Billaway, David Christie’s Ferns Lock carried Barry O’Neill to an easy win around the three-mile, half-furlong trip.
“He has the potential to be a serious horse and Barry said he learned more today than the last day. He said Billaway eyeballed him early in the race and he panicked a bit and took a while to settle. Once he settled into a rhythm he was pretty good and there is improvement to come.
“He is 17 hands, is a huge tank and after Fairyhouse we gave him a break but put on about 50 kilos! Then I had to try and get it off him and was panicking.
“He is a horse for next year and won’t go away – the Tetratema (at Gowran) will be one of his main aims. I definitely won’t send him to Cheltenham as he might be run off his head and it could scare the life out of him.
“What this horse has over my other three hunter chasers (Vaucelet, Winged Leader and Ultimate Optimist) is a serious kick of gear.
“He has the potential to be top class and we’ve always held him in the highest regard.”
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/56cbced9-ad5a-41c8-bb2b-9518de19a18d.jpg10082016Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2023-01-22 13:28:372023-01-22 17:10:09Allegorie De Vassy stays unbeaten for Mullins at Thurles
Allegorie De Vassy bids to strengthen her Cheltenham Festival claims in the Coolmore N.H. Sires Mogul Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase at Thurles on Sunday.
The six-year-old is three from three since joining Willie Mullins from France – scoring twice over hurdles at Fairyhouse last season before making an impressive chasing debut in a Grade Two at Limerick over the Christmas period.
She is already the 7-4 favourite for the Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham with sponsors Paddy Power and those odds may well contract if she can claim another Grade Two victory this weekend.
Assistant trainer Patrick Mullins said: “We’re very happy with Allegorie De Vassy. She was fantastic in Limerick and we’re hoping she can do the same again.
“It looks a very good opportunity, so you’d be disappointed if she couldn’t convert.”
Another runner who is very much Cheltenham-bound is Billaway, who won the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase at last year’s Festival under Mullins and makes his seasonal reappearance in the Thurles Racecourse Hunters Chase.
Billaway is back in action on Sunday (Niall Carson/PA)
“He’s been an incredible horse and I think there’s only three horses in the yard that have won more races than he has,” Mullins added.
“He’s never won first time out – he finished second in this race last year – and I’d imagine he’ll come on for the run again.
“March and April (Punchestown) are his two big days.”
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/0826b008-8863-4db3-98a8-eb9eeab4be92.jpg7781556Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2023-01-21 16:57:472023-01-21 17:00:15Allegorie De Vassy takes next step on Festival trail
geegeez.co.uk uses cookies to improve your experience. We assume that's OK, but you may opt-out from the settings. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.