Reborn Faugheen the lord of Leopardstown
WILLIE MULLINS described Faugheen’s victory in the Grade One Flogas Novice Chase as one of the most rewarding of his career as the veteran gelding drew a reception which electrified day two of the Dublin Racing Festival.
Gordon Elliott- trained Delta Work cemented his Cheltenham Gold Cup claims with a professional defeat of Kemboy in the Irish Gold Cup but it was Faugheen who stole the show, prompting wild celebrations previously reserved for Irish equine favourites such as Nineties folk hero Danoli.
When favourite Battleoverdoyen fell at the last after finally losing out in his tussle for the lead, Faugheen then had to see off the potent challenge of stablemate Easy Game by half a length.
It was a 17th career win, 11 at Grade One level, for the Paul Townend-ridden 12-year- old and 2015 Champion Hurdle winner whose career has been punctuated by injury.
Mullins said: ‘This was special. It was a proper Grade One test. I thought our other horse was going to beat him but he dug deep.
‘I wanted to win in a big way. I would have been gutted if he had been beaten.
‘ Last year he had physical problems and he came back and he has put three runs together now. To come back at his age and do it on the No 1 stage is special.’
Owner Rich Ricci hailed his winner and added that a Cheltenham Festival challenge, considered unlikely at the start of the season for the latecomer to novice chasing who has now won his three chase starts, was now possible. Ricci said: ‘He’s had his ups and downs but I love the fact he wears his heart on his sleeve and is a peoples’ horse.’
Meanwhile, joy in the Elliott camp over the win of Delta Work was tempered with news that his jockey Jack Kennedy suffered a fractured right femur after a fall and will miss Cheltenham. Kennedy, 20, has already missed a chunk of the season with a collarbone injury. DUAL Grand National winner Tiger Roll has returned to work after his knee operation and will run in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan in a fortnight.