Minella Continues Terrific Weekend For Flemensfirth

Minella Melody (Flemensfirth) continued a terrific weekend for her Beeches Stud sire when winning the Listed Mares Novice Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday.

An impressive point-to-point winner last December, she went on to win her bumper and be placed in two Graded contests, and returned last month to win her first start over hurdles. Sent off favourite under Robbie Power, she soon led, but was joined from three out. Driven to challenge, she led from the final flight and kept on well to deny Mount Ida (Yeats) by three parts of a length.

Another step up in class is now on the cards for Minella Melody, with trainer Henry De Bromhead mentioning the Grade 3 Solerina Novice Hurdle as a possible target. Owned by Kenneth Alexander, Minella Melody was purchased privately after winning her sole start for John Nallen, having cost €65,000 as a three-year-old.

She is a half-sister to bumper winner Forty Winks (Getaway) and was bred by Michael and Ciara Carty out of an unraced full-sister to top-class hurdler Glens Melody. She continued a fine weekend for Flemensfirth, following a black-type double for the sire on Saturday.