Faugheen shock as Mick Jazz wins Ryanair Hurdle

Nine-year-old pulled up as he ‘just wasn’t firing’

Mick Jazz was a shock winner of the Ryanair Hurdle as favourite Faugheen suffered just the second defeat of his career after being pulled up at Leopardstown.

Having looked as good as ever when making a successful return from a near twoyear absence in last month’s Morgiana Hurdle, the 2015 Champion Hurdle hero was unsurprisingly a warm order to stretch his Grade One tally to nine as the 2-11 favourite.

The Willie Mullins-trained superstar soon adopted his customary pace-setting role, but it was clear heading out on to the second circuit it might not be as straightforward as many expected, with his stablemate Cilaos Emery taking over the lead.

The nine-year-old dropped to the rear of the five-runner field on the run to the second-last flight and Paul Townend swiftly took him out of the race.

His shock exit left Cilaos Emery in front ahead of the Gordon Elliott-trained Mick Jazz (14-1) and it was the latter who found most from the final flight to claim a surprise victory under Davy Russell.

Russell said: “I was expecting a big run from Mick Jazz because he ran such a lovely race in Fairyhouse (fifth in Hatton’s Grace Hurdle) when he didn’t stay after I travelled well into the straight.

“I couldn’t believe Paul (Townend) just wasn’t travelling with the same zest down the back and then this lad jumped on the bridle.

“He had to be tough to pass Cilaos Emery but, to be fair, he landed at the back of the last and he just wanted it a bit more. “He’s a tough horse.”

Elliott said: “Obviously Faugheen looked to be a certainty, but there is no such thing as a certainty in horse racing. I just hope he’s OK.

“It was Mick Jazz’s day. We went to Cheltenham last year and George Mahoney, who owns a half share with me, flew over from America with all his family for the County Hurdle and he was lame on the morning of the race.

“Today was his day in the sun. The plan was to go to America next year for all those jump races, but we’ll enjoy today and see what happens.

“He’ll have to have an entry now in the Champion Hurdle because you never know, but we’ll enjoy today first.”

He added: “There was no race to run him in, this was the only race we could really run in and we were running for prize-money.

“It just goes to show if you’re not in these races, you can’t win them. Today was our day and we’re delighted. He’s not a bad horse.

“I was sneaking away thinking we’d be second. Then we see Faugheen coming out and I had three in it, but Willie still had one in front of me.”

Faugheen’s owner, Rich Ricci, said: “Paul said he pulled him up because he just wasn’t firing.

“He seems to be sound. When he cools down maybe we’ll find out something.

“He’s in the horse ambulance going back to the yard, but he’s not distressed or anything. Paul just pulled him up because he wasn’t going anywhere.

Mick Jazz and Davy Russell, left, go on to win the Ryanair Hurdle yesterday. Picture: PA.