Water Mill
Water Mill put up a nice performance to finish second behind his stable companion With Nolimit in the maiden hurdle that opened proceedings at Down Royal on Friday. Settled nicely by Danny Gilligan in mid-division and towards the outside behind a sedate pace, he travelled into his race well, he travelled nicely down the hill and, briefly, it looked like he might present a real challenge for his long odds-on stable companion. He got in tight to the second last flight, however, and the winner set up an unassailable lead, but he stuck to his task well to finish a clear second.
It was a nice performance by Gordon Elliott's horse on his debut under Rules. It is a race in which the Cullentra trainer is dominant, he had won eight of the previous 10 renewals and it should have been nine, and With Nolimit is obviously an exciting novice hurdler this season, winner of the Grade 1 Champion Bumper at Punchestown in May. Water Mill had finished second in his only point-to-point for John Murphy, in a race from which the third horse has since come out and won a bumper for Philip Rothwell. Out of a mare who won a bumper and who won over hurdles, with plenty of stamina in his pedigree, this was a nice start for him under Rules, and he should be able to build on it. He should be a nice staying novice hurdler for the season ahead.
Down Royal, 30th October 2026
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