Nichols Canyon leads Faugheen away from the last© Photo Healy Racing
Champion Hurdle hero Faugheen was beaten for the first time in his career as his stable mate Nichols Canyon made all to win the Grade 1 StanJames.com Morgiana Hurdle.
Faugheen, who won all eleven of his previous starts, was sent off the 1/6 favourite under Ruby Walsh, while Nichols Canyon, who won four Grade 1's last season, went to post a 7/1 chance under David Mullins.
In first and second throughout, Faugheen was the first to come off the bridle as Nichols Canyon went a few lengths clear approaching the last.
The deficit was reduced on the run-in but Faugheen couldn't claw back the winner who kept on gamely to score by half a length. Wicklow Brave made it a 1, 2, 3 for Willie Mullins as he finished a further length and a quarter back in third under Patrick Mullins.
Willie Mullins, who was recording his third winner of the day, said afterwards: "That worked out completely different from the way they worked on Tuesday. Faugheen left Nichols for dead - maybe he left his race behind, I don't know.
"Nichols won four Grade 1's last year and he's no back number by any means. He looks like a Champion Hurdle horse now, rather than the stayers.
"Faugheen was a little disappointing. Ruby said he hung but horses hang when they get tired. Maybe he just met a good horse.
"They went a good gallop and Nichols did it the hard way, out in front, and jumped fantastic. Maybe he has improved more.
"Until he tells me something wasn't right I'm not making any excuses for Faugheen.
"We'll see how they come out of the race and they'll be entered in all those races that Champion Hurdle horses should be in.
"They'll probably have to take on each other but if we can keep them apart we will.
"Nichols Canyon was under the radar last year. He was a second string but did win four Grade 1's.
"We used the wrong tactics with him at Cheltenham and that took the gloss off him a bit. It was out fault. He put in a huge performance today.
"The other horse (Wicklow Brave) ran very well. We rode him to come home but Patrick said we should have made more use of him.
"I'll talk to the owner and see if we keep him in training. We were going to put him away but ran him in this race as he was so well.
"We'll probably put him away now as he was as fit as he could be today and couldn't beat them first time out."
David Mullins, who was recording the biggest win of the his career, added: "I never rode anything like that before anyway. He was just alive underneath me the whole way.
"I'd say he was a lot more professional this year, I just remember riding him out last year.
"He settled well enough, every time I gave him a squeeze to come up at a hurdle he was there for me the whole time."
Andrea and Graham Wylie own the winner and they were completing a double on the day after earlier scoring with Bellshill at Cork.
Paddy Power now go 2/1 (from 11/10) about Faugheen for the Champion Hurdle while they make Nicholas Canyon a 5/1 (from 8/1) chance.
STEWARDS REPORT
R. Walsh, rider of Faugheen, trained by W.P. Mullins, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount hung throughout.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
