Faugheen turns back the clock to edge out Samcro at Limerick

FAUGHEEN rolled back the years to add a Grade One triumph over fences to his list of major achievements when winning the Matchbook Betting Exchange Novice Chase at Limerick.

Nine times victorious at the top l evel over the smaller obstacles, the 2015 Champion Hurdle hero showed he was still a formidable force – just days short of turning 12 years old – to lower the colours of another star name i n Samcro.

Fa u g h e e n enjoyed himself out in front in the hands of Patrick Mullins but his market rival was never too f a r a wa y . Tintangle tried to keep tabs on the big two but fell five fences from the finish, leaving the market principals to fight it out.

There was little between the pair until the secondlast fence, where Samcro was put under pressure but could not respond.

Faugheen, trained by

Willie Mullins, jumped the last two obstacles in great style and pulled clear to win by 10 lengths. Castlebrook Lad was 22 lengths back in third place.

Mullins was at Kempton to see Footpad finish third in the King George VI Chase – and nominated the Flogas Novice Chase at Leopardstown in early February as the likely next target for Faugheen.

He said: “To go toe-to-toe with Samcro over the last six furlongs was very good. He did what he always does, in that he gallops and jumps.

“It is special to win a Grade One over fences with an 11-year-old, as very few horses attempt it, but he hasn’t much mileage on the clock and to me it is about mileage rather than age.

“He is well up to it as he is fresh and well, more so than last season. Threemile hurdling is just very hard on horses. Chasing is much easier on him and he is enjoying himself.”

Faugheen claimed success at Limerick.