The King and Queen celebrated their first jumps winner of the
new National Hunt season as Reaching High stormed to victory at
Listowel in Ireland on Thursday.
The four-year-old son of Sea The Stars, trained by Willie
Mullins, produced a dominant performance in the John J. Galvin
Maiden Hurdle at the Listowel Harvest Festival in County Kerry.
Sent off the 1-4 favourite under Paul Townend, Reaching High
travelled prominently before pulling clear of his rivals to win by
10 lengths.
Townend barely needed to ask his mount for his best effort, with
Reaching High appearing to have the race firmly under control
throughout.
The victory represents a significant step forward for Reaching
High following his switch from racing on the Flat to hurdling.
He had been twice beaten as favourite at Royal Ascot before
making his hurdling debut at the end of August, when he finished a
close second.
His latest performance suggested he has taken considerably
better to obstacles.
Speaking after the race, Mr Mullins explained that the King and
Queen had been unable to attend but would have been delighted to
see their horse win in Listowel.
“Unfortunately the King and Queen aren’t present but would love
to be here, as one of their stated aims is to visit every county in
Ireland,” he said.
“They only have a few left and hopefully will come to ‘the
Kingdom’ – as Listowel is known – some day.”
Mullins was also pleased with Reaching High’s jumping despite
making an error at the last flight of hurdles.
“The horse got a fright at the last but he jumps well enough,”
he said.
“He likes a flat track, but it can be a bit sharp here and he is
a huge, big, long-striding horse so was inclined to get unbalanced
around the bends. Other than that, he did it well.”
The trainer already has ambitious plans for Reaching High, with
the Cheltenham Festival firmly on the horizon.
“The ultimate plan is to go for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at
Cheltenham next March,” Mullins revealed.
“I think he is more of a good-ground horse, so running in
Leopardstown at Christmas would be fantastic. We’ll take it baby
steps first.”
The King and Queen have maintained a keen interest in the sport
since inheriting many of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s racing
interests, with their colours continuing to be carried on
racecourses in Britain, Ireland and beyond.
