The Qualifier Novice Handicap Hurdle at the 2024 Punchestown Festival, known as The Full Circle Series, resembled a bygone era of the Grand National, with loose horses scattered throughout the home straight. Despite the chaos, Mousey Brown emerged victorious with an impressive 25/1 triumph.
At the fourth hurdle, two horses were forced to retire from the race, followed by another two at the sixth hurdle, where the eventual winner suffered from the fall of its stablemate, Barry Lyndon. To make matters worse, three more horses fell at the third-last obstacle.
Under the ownership of Alan Smith, Mousey Brown, a daughter of Califet, was skillfully ridden to victory by overcoming Billy Lee Swagger by a narrow margin of three parts of a length.
Dermot McLoughlin, the winning trainer, commented on the eventful race, stating, "Barry Lyndon fell independently and hampered this mare and then there was the carnage at the third last. Bumper cars there!"
According to Dermot McLoughlin, it was a race filled with incidents, but the horse was resilient enough to come through all that commotion. She displayed great determination and even missed the second-to-last hurdle, adding to the challenges. However, the jockey made sure that she finished the race strongly.
"She's a tough and tenacious mare - always up for a challenge."