Another Gold Cup contender for Willie Mullins? Embassy Gardens makes all in stunning style at Tramore

Embassy Gardens made an emphatic return to action by galloping his rivals into the ground in the Grade 3 O'Driscoll's Irish Whiskey New Year's Day Chase, giving Willie Mullins his ninth win in the race and first since his dual Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo landed it for a fourth time in 2022.

One of four in the race for Closutton, Embassy Gardens had not been seen since being pulled up in Grade 1 novice company at Punchestown eight months ago, six weeks after finishing a distant runner-up to Corbetts Cross in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham.

Michael O'Sullivan set his stall out from the drop of the flag on the 9-1 shot as he soon shot a couple of lengths clear, building a lead which he would never relinquish. He was still yet to ask a serious question of his mount approaching the second-last after the pair freewheeled down the hill, but 4-5 favourite Monty's Star seemed to be building up a head of steam under Rachael Blackmore in second and put in a flying leap.

However, O'Sullivan had kept plenty in reserve and the pair quickened smartly, charging clear coming to the final fence, where the winner put in another assured jump to come home a cosy five-length winner. Monty's Star stuck to his task to finish second on his seasonal reappearance and first start in open company, pulling ten lengths clear of Classic Getaway in third.

Georgia Fenwick-Clennell, Michael O'Sullivan and Paddy Aspell with Embassy GardensCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Speaking from Fairyhouse, where he saddled a four-timer, Mullins said: "I said to Michael to bounce out and be positive if no-one was going on. I thought he was a Grand National horse last year and that's why we went for the National Hunt Chase, but I'm not so sure those extended trips suit him.

"He might be better being ridden positively over two and a half to three miles. He seems to run better fresh, so we'll have to factor all that in as to where he goes next."

Betfair Sportsbook reacted by cutting him to 40-1 (from 100) for the Gold Cup, and the same price (from 66) for the Grand National. 

It was O'Sullivan's fifth winning ride for Mullins and his first Graded success for the stable, serving as a timely boost for the Cork man after he parted ways with trainer Barry Connell in November.

"It was brilliant, he gave me a super feel," he said of Embassy Gardens. "He jumped and galloped away and he'd have gone round again. Coming down the hill, I couldn't believe how easy I was going and I had plenty left in the tank. There could be plenty of big ones in him."

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