Mullins works magic on long-absent Penhill, but credits Conte for hitting target

On a day dominated by his main rival and one of his former biggest patrons, Willie Mullins reminded everyone just what a training talent he is when bringing Penhill back from obscurity to capture the Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle - a victory that helped him overhaul Nicky Henderson as the festival's all-time leading handler.

A sea of Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown maroon washed over the Cotswolds thanks to Balko Des Flos, Shattered Love and Delta Work, while Gordon Elliott - responsible for the last two of those - also won with The Storyteller on another memorable day for him.

It was a day Mullins, who landed the Stayers' Hurdle with Nichols Canyon 12 months earlier, will not forget in a hurry either as Penhill made smooth headway from the rear to lead approaching the last and then assert close home under Paul Townend, the stable's deputy to the sidelined Ruby Walsh, but a number one almost anywhere else.

He drew praise from owner Tony Bloom, while the modest Mullins - now on 61 festival winners after Laurina quickly followed up in the Trull House Mares' Novices' Hurdle - deflected the plaudits to Holly Conte, the groom of last year's Albert Bartlett winner.

Penhill, who started at 12-1, had been absent for 323 days since an appearance at Punchestown, but Mullins had worked his magic in the interim, albeit with a little help, and he repelled Supasundae, with Wholestone third.

"He must have some engine as I couldn't believe how well he was going," said Mullins, adding to the successes of Footpad, Benie Des Dieux, Rathvinden, Bleu Berry and Relegate this week.

"Holly, who rides him at home and led him up, does everything with him and she's virtually trained him herself. She's done fantastically with him because he's fairly fragile, so this is a tribute to her.

"I have to give a lot of credit to her. She minds him like a child every night and really looks after him. He has a lot of niggles, which is why he missed the Flat season last year.

"I said at the start of the campaign we'd try to get him ready for Cheltenham and she just got him here.

"I was hoping to come here with a run. Coming here for a two-mile race or a mares' race is one thing, trying to come here for a three-mile championship race on this ground is a huge achievement for the horse."

For successful poker player and Brighton FC chairman Bloom, the Stayers' Hurdle represented another top-level triumph after Librisa Breeze claimed the British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot in October.

He said: "I can't believe it and I think it was a magnificent effort from Willie to get the horse back. He got his injury and we weren't even sure if he'd be able to run again, so to actually run here was a brilliant effort, and to go and win was a dream come true, plus it was a brilliant ride from Paul.

"To come back after 11 months, it's a job done brilliantly. We had a bet on him, more in hope than expectation, but it was a good price."

Future targets are unlikely to include the Flat campaign that was planned last year, or a trip to Nashville for the Iroquois Cheltenham Challenge, which offers a $500,000 bonus for any horse who wins the Stayers' Hurdle and May's Iroquois Hurdle in the same 12-month period.

Mullins cannot see Penhill making that US trip, but hopes he does not have to wait another 11 months for the seven-year-old's next outing.

"I'd like to keep him jumping, look at Punchestown and then maybe let him off," said Mullins.

"I never dreamed he'd win. I thought he'd run well, but it was a good performance and I had a good bit of help from Holly.

"I was surprised how fit he was, and he did that with a lot of natural ability. I think Paul was blowing more than the horse, so that just shows what an engine he has.

"If I can keep him right hopefully we can bring him back for a few more years."

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