Impressive Sortudo completes Mullins four-timer Sortudo made it four on the day for Willie Mullins, as he blitzed his rivals in the concluding Leinster Reinforcements & Brazil Piling Pro/Am INH Flat Race. While having to settle for third with Quai De Bourbon in the Irish National, Mullins was earlier on the mark with Last Kingdom and Blue Lemons, while also taking the bumper at Plumpton with Emerald Poet. Seventh in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, Sortudo reversed the form with Shuttle Diplomacy in no uncertain terms. Sent off a 5/2 chance under Patrick Mullins, the Authorized five-year-old made all and shot clear of I'll Sort That from the furlong pole, with 12-lengths between them at the line. The runner-up was returned at 4/1 (from 11/2) under Declan Queally, while John Flavin's Jackmoon (25/1) was a massive 37-lengths back in third. Returned the 85/40 favourite, the aforementioned Shuttle Diplomacy, who finished third in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, faded from early in the straight and eventually finished a very disappointing fifth. "He is a horse that is improving all the time," the winning handler commented. "We didn't think when he won in Tramore that he would be here in Easter and he just keeps improving which is a great sign in a horse. "You can say that he would probably like a bit of nicer ground. Handles good ground and handles soft ground. Maturing all the time. "Tough task (in Cheltenham), but he is a horse that is surprising me and I love horses that do that. It means that he has plenty in the tank." STEWARDS REPORTS Mr F. Maguire, rider of Shuttle Diplomacy (FR), trained by Thomas Cooper, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount stopped quickly. The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Shuttle Diplomacy (FR), trained by Thomas Cooper, at the request of the Raceday Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal. Additional reporting by Michael Graham
