Faugheen is ready to return after long absence
CONNECTIONS of Faugheen have admitted to feeling a degree of apprehension ahead of his eagerlyanticipated return to action in the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown today.
Last seen when demolishing the opposition by 15 lengths in the Irish Champion Hurdle in January 2016, Faugheen was declared for last season’s Hatton’s Grace Hurdle only to be withdrawn the day before and champion trainer Willie Mullins could never quite get him right after that.
‘We’re counting down the minutes,’ said Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father. ‘He had a short summer break as he was in training last year around Punchestown so we kept him going, but he’s had two years off and is nine going on 10.
‘We’re a little bit apprehensive, but John Cobb, who rides him every day, feels he is back to where he is happy with him and he’s ready to start. When he won the Irish Champion Hurdle he was extraordinary – when you look at what was behind him, Nichols Canyon, he’s won eight Grade Ones and Arctic Fire has been placed in Champion Hurdles.
‘If he comes back to that sort of form he’ll be very hard to beat, but he’s an older horse now and he’s had two years off, so it’s not realistic to expect a performance like that on Sunday.’
Faugheen emerged as a star for the stable just as another extraordinary hurdler, Hurricane Fly, was nearing the end of his career.
Mullins added: ‘He’s a completely different horse to Hurricane Fly. He was always ridden for speed, he was never going to win by 10 lengths as he was only ridden to win from the last hurdle, whereas that day at Leopardstown, Ruby (Walsh) let Faugheen go on from a mile out.’
Vroum Vroum Mag is another on a comeback mission for the yard having disappointed for the first time in her career when last seen in April.
‘Vroum Vroum Mag is very versatile. A lot of the time we pigeonhole horses, but she’s won over two miles and three miles over both hurdles and fences,’ said Mullins. ‘She finished lame after Punchestown, which was why she disappointed there, but my mother rides her every morning and is very happy with her. She is not going to be a pushover, she’s a solid Grade One mare and Faugheen will have to be somewhere near his best to beat her.
‘There’s Jezki, another Champion Hurdle winner, too – it’s a very competitive race and it will be hugely exciting. Hopefully we can get him there and, more importantly, he will be all right on Monday morning so we can work on from there.’
Jezki and Campeador both represent JP McManus for Jessica Harrington and Gordon Elliott respectively.
McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry said: ‘Jezki had a lovely win last time, he hasn’t been in as good a form as he is for a while. He seems to be well at the minute so it’s all systems go.
‘Campeador has been unlucky with the two falls. It’s obviously a big step up in grade for him but we’ll have an idea where to go afterwards.’