Willie weighs it up for Faugheen
WILLIE MULLINS is considering options in England and Ireland for former Champion Hurdle winner Faugheen on his next start.
The nine-year- old made his first outing since winning last year’s Irish Champion Hurdle — an absence of 665 days — a triumphant one with an emphatic success in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday.
Although plans for the Rich Ricciowned gelding remain fluid, the Closutton handler has identified both the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day — which he won in 2014 and 2015 — and the Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 29, as potential targets.
Mullins said: ‘It was great to see him back in action. It was a great relief to have him back and a relief to get him on the racetrack. He seems to have come out of the race well, which is very pleasing.
‘He had horses that were in against him that were very fit and had winning form all over the place. He just showed his class.
‘There is nothing planned at the moment, but the Christmas Hurdle and the Ryanair Hurdle are two races we are looking at.’
Although the multiple Grade One winner was without his regular partner Ruby Walsh, who suffered a broken leg in a fall at Punchestown on Saturday, Mullins reported the 12times Irish champion jockey was delighted with his performance.
‘Ruby was very pleased. Obviously he was very disappointed not to ride him, but he was very pragmatic and is now just looking forward to dealing with his recuperation period. He is very straightforward like that.
‘I’m lucky to have the sort of talent like Paul (Townend) and Patrick (Mullins) there as well.’
Meanwhile, Gordon El l i o t t expressed his delight with Death Duty ahead of the exciting novice c haser’s next assi gnment at Fairyhouse.
The six-year-old gelding has hitherto looked a natural over fences and will run in the Drinmore Novice Chase in early December.
Death Duty is unbeaten in his new vocation, with his trainer seemingly counting down the days before the two-and-a-half-mile Grade One.
Elliott said: ‘It’ll be a good race as there are a brilliant bunch of staying chasers this year.’
Stablemate Apple’s Jade is also on track for the same two-day meeting after a winning return to action in the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan.