Facile Vega maintained his unbeaten record with a foot-perfect display on his eagerly-anticipated hurdling debut at Fairyhouse on Saturday.
Facile Vega leaps to a perfect five out of five for Willie Mullins after landing the Fingal Ravens Raceday Maiden Hurdle under Paul Townend ??@PTownend @WillieMullinsNH @FingalRavensGFC pic.twitter.com/7Hfp9tKRzN
— FairyhouseRacecourse (@Fairyhouse) December 3, 2022
As a son of six-time Cheltenham Festival heroine Quevega, the Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old carried all before him in the bumper sphere last season – winning each of his four starts including big-race triumphs at the Dublin Racing Festival, the Cheltenham Festival and the Punchestown Festival.
He was unsurprisingly a very short price to make a successful transition to the jumping game in division two of the Fingal Ravens Raceday Maiden Hurdle – and anyone tempted by the odds of 1/9 will have had few concerns.
With Paul Townend taking over in the saddle from the trainer’s son, Patrick, Facile Vega travelled supremely well and jumped accurately throughout the two-mile contest, before starting to go through the gears swinging for home.
Once given his head, the son of Walk In The Park readily extended clear, passing the post with 14 lengths in hand over An Mhi.
Mullins said: “I was very happy how he jumped for a horse first time out and making his own running. He hurdled like a handicapper and it was a fantastic performance.
?? "He was very slick... he looked like a handicapper coming out."@WillieMullinsNH on Facile Vega's hurdling debut @Fairyhouse
Either @LeopardstownRC over Christmas or the Lawlor's Of @NaasRacecourse is next on the cards for the Supreme jolly pic.twitter.com/eZe0y7dySk— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 3, 2022
“I’m not sure what happened at the third-last and Paul thought something just caught his eye. He just gave him a squeeze and he took off up the straight.
“We’ll see how he is after this and maybe look at Christmas.”
?? How good was Facile Vega on hurdling debut today!
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 3, 2022
Enjoy his brilliant win via this brilliant drone footage @Fairyhouse
?? 5/4 favourite for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle pic.twitter.com/xpmX9h7vBn
Battle
Gordon Elliott already has a Cheltenham Festival race in mind for Minella Crooner after his victory in the Jim Ryan Racecourse Services Beginners Chase.
What a start to the Winter Festival ????
— FairyhouseRacecourse (@Fairyhouse) December 3, 2022
Minella Crooner secures the Jim Ryan Racecourse Services Beginners Chase for @gelliott_racing ??@jackkennedy15 pic.twitter.com/F9mbrgP9KL
Grade 1-placed as a novice hurdler, the six-year-old made his fencing debut last month and this time went one place better as he came out on top in a battle with 4/6 favourite I Am Maximus, who was having his first run for Mullins having been fourth in the Ballymore for Nicky Henderson.
A short head was the winning margin for Elliott’s 2/1 chance, with the market leader not helping his cause in jumping to his left.
The Co Meath trainer said: “He’s a grand horse. We’ll probably head for Leopardstown over three miles and I’d imagine the further he goes, the better he will be.
“He could be an ideal horse for a National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham because he doesn’t do a stroke.
“We were probably handed the race because the other horse jumped left, but Jack (Kennedy) said he has a great attitude and gallops the whole way.
“He’s very straightforward and was probably a bit fitter and sharper than the last day.”
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