'It was brilliant that it all worked out'

Willie Mullins demonstrated how far his grip on the sport reaches when he saddled Scaramanga to win the $200,000 Calvin Houghland Iroquois Hurdle in Nashville on Saturday.

Racing in the distinctive silks of Malcolm Denmark, the eight-year-old was ridden by Mullins' main jockey Paul Townend and came home three and three-quarter lengths clear of Snap Decision, while Scorpion's Revenge was third.

Mullins, a winner of Japan's prestigious Nakayama Grand Jump with Blackstairmountain, has previous with the three-mile event, which takes place at Percy Warner Park, and had the second and third in 2016 courtesy of Shaneshill and Nichols Canyon.

Willie Mullins: more success for the master trainer

Since then, he has mopped up at the Cheltenham Festival and recently recorded a 17th Irish training title.

Scaramanga's success sits alongside the Stateside strike of Pravalaguna, who won a Far Hills conditions hurdle for the County Carlow yard in 2019.

"It was a great experience to come to Nashville, it’s such a friendly place," Denmark told local media. "The ground here is firmer than in the UK and we know it's a great place to run Scaramanga."

Townend was also chuffed, adding: "I'm very fortunate to ride for Willie. It was a brave decision to pick out this race, and Malcolm sent the horse. It was brilliant that it all worked out."

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