SQUARED FINANCIAL

CHRISTMAS HURDLE

(GRADE 1)

VROUM Vroum Mag bounced back from her comeback defeat to head Willie Mullins’ all out assault on the Squared Financial Christmas Hurdle.

The champion trainer fielded four runners in his quest to continue his dominance of the meeting’s Grade 1 contests and pride of place went to Vroum Vroum Mag who saw off stablemate Clondaw Warrior. It would have been an ever better result for Mullins had Shaneshill not crashed out at the last but the result has left him with a multitude of options for the Stayers Hurdle at Cheltenham.

For her part, the Ruby Walsh-ridden Vroum Vroum Mag again showcased the remarkable versatility that has marked her career since she arrived in Ireland. A multiple chase winner, a Grade 1 scorer over two miles last season, when she also landed the Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham, she has now shown herself to be just as adept as a stayer.

Whether this latest victory will see her line up in the Stayers Hurdle is not certain, with Mullins reporting that all options are open, but she will be a force whatever direction connections opt to take.

Despite meeting with that surprise defeat in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, Vroum Vroum Mag was the 8/15 favourite to account for an interesting field that also included Nicky Henderson’s former French Grade 1 heroine Kotkikova.

AT EASE

Throughout the race the Susannah Ricci-owned mare looked at ease as she took up a prominent position. Indeed it was all looking quite ominous for her rivals when the strong-travelling mare edged into the lead on the run to the last flight.

Shaneshill came down there when holding second but he was held at the time and it was left to the patiently ridden Clondaw Warrior to lead home the chasing pack.

The Galway Hurdle winner kept on well to finish an honourable length and a quarter second with Snow Falcon securing third ahead of the other Mullins representative Whiteout.

“She pulled quite hard today which is something she doesn’t usually do: she tends to go to sleep in her races,” declared Mullins.

“We’d have to think about that if we were going down the Stayers Hurdle route but Ruby felt that he’d be able to switch her off if he wanted to in a Stayers Hurdle and they’d go a better pace there which would suit too.

UNIQUE

“She’s a unique mare. She works with our Champion Hurdle horses at home, she’s now won a Grade 1 over three miles.

“All options are open to her and we’ll try to keep her well and put her in whatever race at Cheltenham that she has the best chance of winning.

“I think it’s a race we can take plenty from. Clondaw Warrior ran a fantastic race and three miles is no problem for him.

“The World Hurdle would look the route for him. Shaneshill seems ok after his fall and he was in the process of running his best race of the season,” continued Mullins.