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Faugheen destroys Leopardstown rivals

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Faugheen-360

Faugheen: a best priced 2-5 to successfully retain the Champion Hurdle

  PICTURE: Patrick Mullins (racingpost.com/photos) 

 By Tony McFadden 3:11PM 24 JAN 2016 

Reports: Leopardstown, Sunday

BHP Insurances Irish Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m, 4yo+

FAUGHEEN produced arguably the best performance of his career and slammed the two biggest rivals to his Champion Hurdle crown, comprehensively reversing form with Nichols Canyon, the only horse to have beaten him, as he ran out a wide-margin winner at Leopardstown.

Faugheen lost his unbeaten record in surprising fashion when failing to overhaul stablemate Nichols Canyon in the Morgiana Hurdle on his seasonal return at Punchestown in November, but he made amends in spectacular style when routing his rivals by 15 lengths.

Arctic Fire finished a distant second with Nichols Canyon, who weakened having pressed the front-running Faugheen for much of the way, a further 13 lengths back in third.

‘Electrifying performance’

Trainer Willie Mullins said: “That was an electrifying performance. I have never seen him jump as well, with the exception of the last hurdle when the race was already over at the time.”

Faugheen is now a best price of 2-5 to successfully retain the Champion Hurdle crown he won at Cheltenham last March.

Faugheen

Faugheen: came home in splendid isolation

  PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos  

Arctic Fire finished runner-up to Faugheen at last year’s Festival and looks set to have another crack at his outstanding stablemate as Mullins said: “Arctic Fire left his poor run at Christmas behind him. The Champion Hurdle remains the plan.”

Arctic Fire is a top price of 10-1 with Stanjames and Ladbrokes, leapfrogging Nichols Canyon in the betting, who can be backed at 14-1 with BoyleSports.

Regarding Nichols Canyon’s performance, Mullins added: “Nichols Canyon was feeling the effects of a hard race at Christmas. We’ll take him home and see how he’s taken the race before making any plans.”

How the race panned out

Nichols Canyon had made all the running when proving successful in the Morgiana Hurdle, but Faugheen was sent straight into the lead by Ruby Walsh on this occasion.

Paul Townend aboard Nichols Canyon was keen to ensure that Walsh and Faugheen didn’t get an easy time of things out in front, however, and there was little to split the pair on the approach to the second-last.

Nichols Canyon produced a sloppy leap, though, and was readily dropped by Faugheen who produced a stunning turn of speed to quickly draw clear on the turn for home.

Faugheen, who had jumped more fluently than is sometimes the case, paddled through the final flight, landing on all fours, but the race was already in safe-keeping and he galloped home well in advance of the opposition.

Faugheen

Faugheen: “It was a good race, roll on Cheltenham!”

  PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos  

‘Best he’s ever run’

Winning owner Rich Ricci, who had earlier seen Douvan carry his colours to success in the Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle, was understandably delighted by Faugheen’s performance. He said: “He was brilliant. In my opinion it’s the best he’s ever run.”

“It was a good race, I’m delighted Faugheen won. Roll on Cheltenham!”

 

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