Gavin Cromwell’s
ensured that Willie Mullins would be unable to repeat his clean sweep of Dublin Racing Festival Grade Ones when grimly holding on to win the Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Services
Hurdle at
.
Having won all eight Grade Ones at the two-day event 12 months ago, many were predicting the champion trainer would do the same again – and having won the first available with Final Demand, the bookies were quaking.
However, in the build-up to the meeting, the juvenile race perhaps looked the most difficult for Mullins, given Cromwell’s Hello Neighbour brought such smart form from the Flat and had made a winning hurdling debut.
Mullins did eventually have the favourite in Sainte Lucie following sustained support but she ruined her chance by pulling hard behind the slow pace set by Danny Mullins on Sony Bill.
Hello Neighbour (85-40) travelled sweetly and jumped with aplomb throughout for Keith Donoghue and when he took over at the head of affairs, they looked like going away to win well.
There was perhaps not as much response as anticipated, though, and Joseph O’Brien’s filly Galileo Dame closed to within three-quarters of a length, with the same distance back to Lady Vega Allen.
The winner was cut to 11-2 from 8-1 for the Triumph Hurdle behind 7-4 favourite Lulamba by Betfair.