Mullins hopes Faugheen only suffering from ‘bounce factor’
Favourite is pulled up in the Ryanair Hurdle Prize money to increase by £17million next year
A topsy-turvy Leopardstown Christmas meeting for Willie Mullins ended on another low when Faugheen was pulled up in the Ryanair Hurdle and dismounted by Paul Townend after being swamped by his four rivals between the third last and penultimate flights. The race was won by Gordon Elliott’s 14-1 shot Mick Jazz.
December 2017 has not been that kind to Mullins. Douvan is out for the season after failing to fire, Min was demoted by the stewards after winning at Leopardstown on Wednesday, Nichols Canyon took a fatal fall there on Thursday and a question mark now hangs over the future of one of the most talented Champion Hurdlers of recent years.
Yesterday sent off the 2-11 favourite Faugheen, an impressive winner on his comeback after nearly two years off at Punchestown in November, was expected to make all the running. But it did not look like it was quite going to plan when his stable companion Cilaos Emery easily moved alongside him between the third and fourth flights and had headed him by halfway.
A slap down the shoulder from Townend at the third-last met with no response and he was quick to call it a day on the nine-year-old. While the Gold Cup winner Sizing John was reported to be “clinically abnormal” after disappointing in the Christmas Chase a day earlier, the vets could find nothing wrong with Faugheen in the immediate aftermath of the race.
If nothing comes to light, it could be that he just suffered from the dreaded “bounce factor” whereby, after a long time off, horses run well first time out but then throw in a stinker. Another possibility is that with Yorkhill last and Djakadam pulled up in the Christmas Chase, the Mullins yard is firing only on three cylinders.
The positive is that there are 2½ months to turn things round before Cheltenham.
After winning the concluding bumper, Mullins said: “He appears fine. He’s sound and it could be that he is incubating something which we might come to light over the next two or three days. I’m not a great believer in horses bouncing but it would be probably be my best scenario at the moment!”
Owner Rich Ricci said: “That crowns a bad week. Paul said he pulled him up because he wasn’t firing. He didn’t appear to be lame but we’ll know more later.”
The upshot was that one of the most eagerly awaited Champion Hurdles now has the look like a one-horse race. Buveur D’air, slick winner of the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, is as short as 4-9 to retain his title while Faugheen was taken out of many lists.
The British Horseracing Authority, meanwhile, has announced prize money increases in 2018 with £160million forecast for the year, an estimated increase of £17 million on 2017. The boost in prize money is particularly aimed at the mid-lower tiers that will also benefit from an appearance money scheme. Most races in 2018 will be worth a minimum of £6,000. Some of the extra money is from the Levy Board while racecourses are also poised to increase their contributions from £75 million this year to £84 million.