THE market couldn’t see Willie Mullins being beaten in the first Grade 1 of the week and little wonder, as he accounted for four of the six declared in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle, his quartet joined by two maidens over hurdles from Gordon Elliott and Jim Bolger.

In the end, it was 18/1 shot Irancy who led them home under Mark Walsh, after leader Salvator Mundi (100/30) and his longtime chaser Kopek Des Bordes (30/100 favourite) blew their chances with a fast pace. The favourite was in trouble before the straight, while Walsh loomed in second and cruised into the lead turning for home.

J.P. McManus’ representative was the last off the bridle and with one hit behind the saddle on the run-in, went on to score by nine lengths. Salvator Mundi kept on in second, with another three lengths back to Danny Mullins and Karbau (22/1) in third. The previously unbeaten Kopek Des Bordes finished a further 19 lengths back in fourth.

Speaking after the race, Willie Mullins reflected: “We took all the gear off Salvator Mundi and it worked as far as his jumping is concerned but he got running too fast. Paul, knowing how good Salvator Mundi is, couldn’t let him go.”

“Irancy has always been a good horse. He won early in the season, then met with a setback and it could have been the best thing that ever happened, coming here fresh.”

Like State Man, Irancy was sourced from the stable of Daniela Mele, and got off the mark in Ireland with a nine-length maiden hurdle at Punchestown in November. He returned to finish seventh in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and stripped fitter at Fairyhouse earlier this month, winning a Grade 2 under Tuesday’s pilot.

Expanding on the beaten favourite, Mullins continued: “I gave him a nice break after Cheltenham and probably gave him too much. When I was looking at him going around the parade ring, I thought he was carrying too much condition; you could hardly see a rib and that showed in today’s pace. If Salvator Mundi wasn’t in the race, it would have been a different race and different pace.”