'That was a real special win' - outsider Mr Mafia makes winning return at the age of 14

Martin Keighley hailed Mr Mafia an “absolute legend” after his stable stalwart defied a 241-day layoff to win the 3m2f handicap chase at the age of 14.

Sent off the 12-1 outsider in a field of five, Mr Mafia scored by a length under Sean Bowen to record his first success since landing a similar five-runner contest at Ludlow in May 2022.

“He’s just an absolute legend,” said Keighley. “You wouldn’t normally run a horse at 14 but if people could see him on the gallops every day he’s like a youngster – he loves his work."

Mr Mafia won his first four starts for Keighley after joining from Tony Carroll’s yard in 2018 and this was his 12th victory for the Gloucestershire-based trainer.  

“He normally needs his first run so that was a real special win,” Keighley said. “He’s a good schoolmaster. He's the first horse Freddie, my son, has started schooling over fences and he’s just a pleasure to have in the yard."

Cheltenham’s hunter chase evening next May is a possible long-term target for Mr Mafia, and Freddie Keighley will be eligible to ride from the end of February when he turns 16.

Keighley added: “It’s tempting to go out on a win but he just loves it so much. I’d say it’d be his last season and if we qualify him for hunter chases he could probably give Freddie a ride in a hunter chase at Cheltenham, which would be really special. Sean thought that was a good idea."

Bowen completed a double in the bumper on his father Peter’s Olivers Travels, who was following up last month’s success at Worcester.

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