Spanish Harlem has Aintree on agenda after taking Kerry National

Spanish Harlem made most of the running under Danny Mullins to register a decisive success in the Guinness Kerry National at Listowel.

Trained by Willie Mullins, he appeared the champion trainer’s second string with Paul Townend on You Oughta Know but he fell early on the final circuit at the same fence as top weight Pied Piper.

Danny Mullins never missed a beat on the winner, who was hassled throughout for the lead with Joseph O’Brien’s San Salvador still appearing to be full of running when he exited at the third-last obstacle.

Spanish Harlem asserted his authority at that point and while the veteran French Dynamite and Gordon Elliott’s Three Card Brag tracked him into the straight, they could not land a blow.

The 16-1 winner was able to come home four and a half lengths in front of Three Card Brag with a further seven lengths back to French Dynamite, who was having his first run for new connections.

“We pushed the boat out and bought this fellow in France a few years ago and it’s taken a while for him to come to fruition. I’m hoping now that he might go the whole way and run in the Grand National,” said Willie Mullins.

“Dr Peter Fitzgerald (owner) is Randox who sponsor the Grand National. We have a couple of races to go before that – something like the Munster National or the Coral Gold Cup in Newbury.

“He seems to like nice ground, lots of jumping and three miles plus.

“To win these races you need lots of experience and he has lots of experience.

“He made one or two mistakes and when he can iron out those, he could be a player on the bigger stage.

“Danny wanted to give him plenty of daylight. He’s a horse that doesn’t like being crowded and it worked.”

Earlier, Willie Mullins told Racing TV viewers hat Davy Crockett "jumped like a champion hurdler" after winning the Seamus Mulvaney Bookmaker Novice Hurdle.

The third foal of Champion Hurdle winner Annie Power, Davy Crockett was taking his unbeaten record to three with a bloodless win

Trained like the great mare by Mullins and owned in a partnership between JP McManus and John Magnier, the four-year-old had won his only bumper by nine lengths and triumphed on his hurdling debut by two and a half lengths.

He was in deeper waters on this occasion against the Charles Byrnes-trained Sonnyboyliston, winner of the Ebor and Irish St Leger on the Flat when with Johnny Murtagh and a couple of other useful looking types.

Settled nicely by Paul Townend, Davy Crockett jumped fluently throughout and moved up stylishly behind his pace-setting stablemate La Note Verte.

While Sonnyboyliston had to go around the field, Townend sneaked up the inside and within a matter of strides began to pull clear.

He was untidy at the last but such was his momentum and advantage it made little difference and he won by four lengths. Arch Empire caught Sonnyboyliston right on the line to nab second.

Paddy Power left him unchanged as their 12-1 joint-favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

“He jumped so slick for a horse having just his second run over hurdles,” said Mullins. “He missed the last all right, but he was so slick at some of the other hurdles and is obviously taking after his mother.

“He looks sharp, and I can see him improving for the rest of the season and hopefully he can go up in grade.

“Tipperary will probably come a bit soon for him and we could look at the Royal Bond.

“La Note Verte ran well and finished fourth. The ground might be a bit soft for her.”