Killeen Glebe’s Grade 1 winning graduate Minella Cocooner dug deep to land a valuable prize in the Grade 3 bet365 Gold Cup Chase at Sandown.

A Grade 1 winner and twice placed at the highest level as a novice hurdler, the Willie Mullins-trained bay was last seen finishing a gallant third in the Irish Grand National. Reunited with Danny Mullins at Sandown, he raced towards the back of the field for much of the way and began to make headway from five out. He raced in second when challenging at the final fence and kept on well on the run-in to win the £170,000 contest by a neck.

Speaking after the race, Willie Mullins said, “For my nephew Danny to ride, it was special, especially after what he did last week in Ayr. He gave the horse a tremendous ride, he was doing the right thing going down the back, got him balanced and travelling and got two tremendous jumps over the last two fences.”

Minella Cocooner was bought by Killeen Glebe with Kevin Ross Bloodstock as a foal and resold via Limekiln Stud at the Goffs Land Rover Sale. The son of Flemensfirth went on to finish second on debut for John Nallen, before being purchased privately by owner David Bobbett.