Mahler Mare Steps Up A Gear To Land Bumper

The Willie Mullins-trained Bohemian Birch (5m Mahler - Over It, by Overbury) stayed on well to beat a competitive field in Friday’s bumper at Sligo.

Nigel King’s homebred was making her second career start in the two mile and two furlong contest and was ridden to chase the leaders by Patrick Mullins. Racing wide, she produced a strong challenge in the straight and was ridden to lead inside the final furlong, running on to win by three and a half lengths from €105,000 purchase Top Bandit, as Angels Dawn (Yeats) stayed on for third.

Speaking after the race, the winning rider said, “Her owner Nigel King bred her as well so he deserves a lot of credit. He's had a lot of good mares and I think this one will give him plenty of fun.”

King bred the daughter of Mahler out of an unraced half-sister to Grand National hero Silver Birch.