Willie Mullins won two Grade One contests at Fairyhouse on Sunday but although he went on to land a treble from a stellar card, he also suffered the loss of one of his stable’s rising stars.
The Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle was the first of three Grade Ones and was won by the champion trainer’s second string Nichols Canyon, who came home five lengths clear of All Hell Let Loose, with Paul Townend aboard.
However, having jumped only two flights Ruby Walsh quickly pulled up the first string, Allez Colombieres, who was sent off the evens favourite. It transpired that the highly-regarded four-year-old had broken a bone in the sacroiliac region, cutting the iliac artery, which resulted in him being put down.
Nichols Canyon, who runs in the colours of Graham and Andrea Wylie, impressed the bookmakers enough to earn quotes of 14-1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, which at this stage would appear to be his likely target after Mullins confirmed they would “go down the two-mile route” – the distance of the Supreme.
In recent years the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle has been won by the likes of Jezki, Hurricane Fly and Hardy Eustace, who all went on to Champion Hurdle success at the Cheltenham Festival.
The Closutton handler doubled his Grade One haul when Valseur Lido ran out an impressive winner of the Drinmore Novice Chase by eight lengths.
The five-year-old, who runs in the colours of Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud, made it two wins from two over fences. O’Leary was on hand to witness the success and reported that Bryan Cooper, his jockey, said the horse had plenty left in the tank if needed.
Rather predictably Mullins had started the day off with a winner when Kalkir, running in the well-known colours of Mrs Ricci, took the Grade 3 Bar One Juvenile Hurdle with some authority.
The bookmakers were suitably taken with the Montmartre gelding to make him favourite for the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, with one firm going as short as 5-1. Mullins indicated that his next run would probably be at Leopardstown over Christmas.
The most emotional win of the day was that of Lieutenant Colonel in the Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle. He was a first Grade One winner for Sandra Hughes, daughter of Dessie Hughes, who died aged 71 in November.
The winning trainer, who is sister to the champion Flat jockey Richard Hughes, told At The Races: “We got a great reception but that was for Dad. He put all the groundwork in with these horses.” Lieutenant Colonel was quoted at 16-1 for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle by the sponsor, moreover.
The race was robbed of much of its lustre at the fifth flight when Zaidpour, the 11-8 favourite, fell and brought down the outsider King Of The Picts.
Willie Mullins’s brilliant race mare, Annie Power, had been declared for the run but was withdrawn after being found lame. Her trainer said she must have 10 weeks’ box-rest and he faces a real battle to get her ready to race at the Cheltenham Festival next year.
She is currently a best price 10-1 for the World Hurdle.
