Group 1 glory for Brandy Love

The Willie Mullins-trained mare Brandy Love provided Jet Away with his first Grade 1 winner when she captured the EBF Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final (Gr 1, 2m4f) at Fairyhouse. From the first crop of her sire, the mare won going away by eight lengths and took her record to four wins and two placings from six starts.

Grade 2 placed as a five-year-old last year, Brandy Love started second favourite for the Grade 1 behind the previously unbeaten Love Envoy who had won at Cheltenham last time out. However, the daughter of Jet Away had no problems in denying the Harry Fry-trained mare her seventh career victory and winning trainer Willie Mullins  – whose previous race winners include subsequent Champion Hurdle winner Annie Power – believes Brandy Love will be even better going left-handed.

“It was a great race, the Cheltenham winner was here and she beat her fair and square,” said Mullins.

“This mare has a lot of ability and I think if we can get her back going left-handed it would be better. I’d imagine that will be it for this season.”

Brandy Love was bred by Kieran Ryan and Tim Nolan and is one of four winners out of the three-time winner Bambootcha, a daughter of Saddler’s Hall. She was sold to Maria Byrne for €15,000 at the 2019 Goffs Ireland Land Rover Sale before being bought by Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins for £200,000 at the following year’s Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham February Sale.

The daughter of Jet Away is the first stakes winner in three generations of her pedigree.