Mag achieves a career high

After bypassing Sandown last Saturday, and substituting here in place of Annie Power, Vroum Vroum Mag the heavily backed 4/6 favourite, landed the Grade 1 BETDAQ Punchestown Champion Hurdle to remain unbeaten after ten starts for Willie Mullins.

Ruby Walsh dictated it on Vroum Vroum Mag, after taking over from Identity Thief at the third hurdle.

In fairness to Identity Thief he stuck to his task well from before the last, but Vroum Vroum Mag always looked likely to keep him at bay, which she managed by a length and a quarter. My Tent Or Yours just kept going at the same pace in the straight and he was three and a half lengths adrift in third at the line.

Twenty five to one shot Fethard Player ran creditably to be nearly four lengths back in fourth.

"Everything we do with her, she just does it. She's a very easy ride and an old pet at home. Jackie rides her everyday. She has a lot of natural ability," said Mullins, earlier on the mark with the Paul Townend-ridden Avant Tout

"She did a spectacular piece of work before Cheltenham and we were left wondering did we supplement the right mare for the Champion Hurdle.

"She can go any road now. She's good enough to run in the Champion Hurdle races and she's good enough to run over fences at any level.

"We had just been keeping her in the mares races and climbing the ladder and getting confidence.

"We didn't intend to run here and yesterday's race was the target.

"We thought going to Cheltenham she was better than we had thought initially. We thought we'd be coming back here for the three miler but when Annie Power wasn't right we let her take her chance here.

"My Tent Or Yours and Identity Thief are Champion Hurdle material. If she had got beat we would have been wrong about her.

"The plan had been to go for the Prix Barka but we'll probably keep her for next season now."

Walsh stated: "We were running out of ammunition. We needed a sub and we were lucky to have her.

"She has loads of speed, all her work is so quick. She travelled well, jumped super and quickened up when she had to."

Owner Rich Ricci commented: "That was great. To be able to win a Champion Hurdle with Annie Power and then this. She is a super duper sub.

"I'm very lucky to have two wonderful mares.

"Of the two Vroum Vroum Mag could go over fences. I wouldn't be interested in seeing Annie Power over fences."

For the 2017 World Hurdle Paddy Power go 7/1 from 10/1 about Vroum Vroum Mag.

(GC & EM)