SUN BETS STAYERS’

HURDLE (GRADE 1)

A RESURRECTION that was emblematic of his trainer’s day three rally enabled the relatively unheralded Nichols Canyon to emerge as the new star of the staying division.

Yet another winner of this race for Andrea and Graham Wylie, Nichols Canyon lined up as a seven-time Grade 1 winner, as well as finishing third in last year’s Champion Hurdle. However, on his last two outings Nichols Canyon had looked some way off his peak and there was a period when Mullins contemplated skipping Cheltenham with his charge.

A change in routine in recent weeks worked the oracle in spectacular fashion as Nichols Canyon, in one fell swoop, stamped his authority all over the staying division. The home favourite, Unowhatimeanharry, was an odds-on chance (5/6) to stretch his two-year winning sequence further but, having held every chance, he was found wanting in third. Instead, the strongest challenge came from the 33/1 outsider Lil Rockerfeller.

On a day when everything fell into place for Mullins, Nichols Canyon was settled at the rear by Ruby Walsh and the pair remained there for most of the race. On the long run to two out, the 10/1 shot began a forward charge and when the leaders fanned out off the final bend it was apparent that nothing was going better.

PRESSURE ON

At this point, Unowhatimeanharry was under strong pressure to head Lil Rockerfeller and at the last the spring-heeled Nichols Canyon joined the leading pair.

With the stand’s side rail to guide him home, the son of Authorized stormed up the hill to score by three-parts of a length. The favourite took third ahead of former winner Cole Harden.

“In his recent work he had just seemed a bit dead, Jackie suggested changing his rider and I suggested changing stable, so we did both,” recalled Mullins.

“I always like watching races live but as it was a three-mile race I thought I’d time for a cup of tea and it’s a good job I was sitting down as I nearly fell off my seat when he I saw him arrive there before the last.

“Sometimes, if things aren’t working with a horse, it can help to change their routine and we just threw everything at him and it has worked. His last bit of work was good and as he’s gotten older he has learnt to settle better. I used to think he’d never get this far but he saw out the trip well.

“It probably helped him that he had the rail late on whereas the other two found themselves out in the middle of the track.

“He produced a spectacular jump at the last and of all the horses you’d want to jump the last it’s him as he’s like Hurricane Fly in that he’ll get down and grind it out.

“I would imagine that we will head to Punchestown and then go back to Nashville for the Iroquois Hurdle. He was beaten in the race last year but he’d had a very busy season up to that point,” he added.

Mullins then neatly seemed up his day: “After the first winner the feeling was one of relief. The second winner was great and now this is one of pure joy.”

For the successful jockey this was Festival win 55 and he paid tribute to the efforts of his mount.

“He’s a little warrior isn’t he? He switched off, jumped great and crept away. Just in the last 10 days this horse has started to come back to himself.

“Maisie has been riding him at home and she was very happy with him and my sister Katie rode him at the Curragh the other day and she felt he’d worked very well,” stated Walsh.