Faugheen back to show his brilliance

Faugheen with Paul Townend up for the first time in a race, returned in style off a 665 day break to land more Grade 1 honours in the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown.

Only beaten once in his life, in this event in 2015, the Cheltenham Champion hurdler from the same year, bossed things from the start in this four runner event.

Vroum Vroum Mag, Townend's intended mount initially, was a non-runner as she was lame, and the former champion switched on to the Susannah Ricci-owned and Willie Mullins-trained superstar after Ruby Walsh's leg break yesterday.

He was shortened up across the board to return in glory to the Costwolds in March after looking as good as ever when sauntering away from Jezki in the straight for a sixteen length win. Campeador again fell at the last so Swamp Fox was the only other one to complete, thirty seven lengths behind.

He's back! What a performance from Faugheen as he scoots to victory in the Grade 1 Morgiana Hurdle at @punchestownrace: pic.twitter.com/kEXAFiKJfF

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 19, 2017

“It was very good. The horse did all the talking today. I've been talking up to now and you've all seen what I was saying,” said Mullins.

“I don't know what I want to do now, I'm just happy to get today over with. We'll go home and hopefully he'll be alright in the morning.

“Paul was very happy with him. He said he moved up through the gears, he took a big jump at the last one down the back. He was all wrong, stood back, let fly and landed with his hind legs on top of it but it didn't take a thing out of him.

“He took a blow after the second last but as soon as he had that blow he motored on again. He said he had tons in the tank going down to the last and he was going too fast at the last and fiddled out over it.

“He was in no doubt that he had lots left in the tank.

“He was ready just after Punchestown so it's nice to get out on the track and let everyone see that we weren't talking absolute and utter rubbish!

“You get the feeling sometimes that people don't believe and that you are just saying things.

“That's the way he's been. He was like that last May and in early June he could have come and put in a performance better than that I'd say as he was readier.

“We had to let him down and build him back up again. He's been very good at home and we haven't had any setbacks with him.

“Hopefully we won't after today. It looked good, bar that mistake at the last down the back where he just caught the top with his hind legs. He met it completely on the wrong stride but he just took off instead of putting in a quick one, but that's his temperament and he can get away with it.

“Hopefully he's fine in the morning, and over the next few days, and we'll just prepare him for his next run.

“He did it well and he didn't win by just hanging on. He was having his first run of the year against three horses that are super fit from running. He just jumped out and took the race from them.

“The race was set up for anyone of those, fit from summer racing. Discussing it with Ruby and Paul beforehand both of them felt that the horse was good enough to do that and if he got tired or needed the race sobeit.

“We were going to go out and bring the race to them. Let there fitness count but we were hoping we had the class and he showed today he did.

“I have no plans and I'm just happy to get past today. We'll see how we come out of it, go home and reflect on it and see what our best route is from here.”

(GC & EM)