A review from Punchestown on day two of the 2022 Festival as Willie Mullins won all three Grade One races on the card.
Unbeaten in four previous starts under Rules, The Nice Guy (15/8f) got the ball rolling with victory in the Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle, in the process following up his win in the the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival when beating stablemate Minella Cocooner by five lengths.
Minella Cocooner was sent straight to the front by Danny Mullins in his bid to reverse the form, but The Nice Guy could be spotted travelling sweetly in his slipstream in what was still a tightly-bunched field turning into the straight.
However, it wasn't long before the two stable companions pulled clear and it was The Nice Guy who found most on the run-in to confirm his Cheltenham superiority over Minella Cocooner.
The pair were separated by three quarters of a length at the line, with another five and a half lengths back to Meet And Greet in third.
The Nice Guy was cut to 5/1 from 8/1 by Betfair for next season’s Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.
Unlimited Replays
of all UK and Irish races with our Race Replays
Discover Sporting Life Plus Benefits
After watching his horse extend his winning sequence to five, owner Malcolm Denmark told Racing TV: "It went very much to plan. Paul [Townend] mapped it out to me before the race what he was going to do and it went absolutely how he said it would.
"I didn't think he jumped as well today, but he's only had three runs over hurdles. The trouble is it's a big dream, five wins out of five – that's what dreams are made of.
"He had a hard race at Cheltenham and I thought today's contest was possibly even tougher. A couple of them didn't turn up at Cheltenham and there was obviously that tragedy to Ginto as well.
"Today there was form right the way through there and I didn't think we should be the 2/1 favourite or whatever we were.
"It was a big thrill and it brings back memories of Monsignor. I think the excitement and the emotion we had at Cheltenham came flooding back. I think I said there many times that I didn't get to do that [when Monsignor won] with my son there.
"To now do it with him here and at Cheltenham, that's what we're there for."
Mullins added: “He totally surprises us and wouldn’t win any sort of race at home on our gallop, but he loves it on grass on the track. He keeps surprising us.
“There is not a lot of condition on him, he’s a light-framed horse and doesn’t take much training. He’s a unique specimen in his own way. He’s the exact opposite of a morning glory. He does it in the afternoon, which is tremendous.
“I was a little surprised he went on at the second-last, but Paul said he didn’t want to get caught on the inside at the last bend. I think he was idling in front.
“The first two will go chasing next season.”
Facile Vega makes it four from four
Facile Vega (8/15f) added to the wins of The Nice Guy and Allaho to complete a Grade One hat-trick for Mullins in the Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion I.N.H. Flat Race.
A dominant winner of the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival, Facile Vega had American Mike back in second on that occasion and it was that horse who was expected to emerge as the chief danger once again.
However, this time it was stable companion Redemption Day – only thirteenth at Cheltenham – who emerged as the biggest threat to Facile Vega as both horses made good progress to challenge the leaders early in the straight.
Redemption Day briefly appeared to be getting the better of the argument, but Facile Vega found plenty under Patrick Mullins to assert inside the final furlong.
The official winning margin was a length and a quarter as the first two pulled fully 14 lengths clear of American Mike in third.
Facile Vega was left unchanged as the 5/2 favourite for next year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle with Paddy Power.
Unlimited Replays
of all UK and Irish races with our Race Replays
Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsWillie Mullins said: “He [Patrick] had to pull it out there because Jody nearly stole it. She said ‘we didn’t beat him, but we frightened him’.
“The horse had to dig deep and it’s the sign of a good horse. I don’t work them hard at home but he’s getting stronger all the time.
“The owners didn’t sell the mare [Quevega] and they put her in foal to the most expensive stallion in the country in Walk In The Park and they have got a fantastic horse out of it.
“There were big offers for this horse, but they decided they are not going to sell him. They are getting a reward and hopefully he will serve them for the next couple of years.
“He has huge potential and fingers crossed he stays right.”
Patrick Mullins said: “He was quite worked up in the parade ring and down at the start which wouldn’t be like him, so I think the season was probably starting to get to him a bit.
“I said it before Cheltenham that there wasn’t much between this fellow and Redemption Day on home work. Redemption Day is a very good horse as well.
“Turning out of the back straight, I’m thinking to myself ‘you’re a bit flat’ and I wanted to hold onto him as long as I could.
“I was happy I would beat American Mike for gears, but I thought that Redemption Day might be a little bit quicker than me.
“He was flat today and he still won, he got headed and he battled back. He’s the full package, he can do it tough if he needs to.”
Royal Rendezvous makes it a day to remember for Mullins
Galway Plate winner Royal Rendezvous (12/1) later completed a four-timer on the card for the Mullins stable when defying top weight to win the €100,000 OMC Claims Handicap Chase, staying on well to beat Discordantly by a length and three quarters.
Mullins said: "Paul wanted to be up there with them and he was, but then there was so many other horses who wanted to do that. He just settled him in and put him to sleep. That was the first time he's said he's gone to sleep and settled in a race for him.
"That means he might just keep on improving, that he was able to produce him when he wanted him to be produced. I'd love it if he could stay further, but if we stick with the devil we know at this trip then so be it.
"I don't think we'll go back to the Galway Plate. We'll see where we go with him, there's not much else. There's the Kerry National maybe, but that's over three miles. Prize-money wise that would look the race for him, but that's a long way away."
Unlimited Replays
of all UK and Irish races with our Race Replays
Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsCrosshill gets back on an upward curve
Jessica Harrington had to settle for second with Discordantly, but she had been on the mark earlier on the card when Crosshill (15/2) ended a losing run stretching back to October 2020 in the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle.
Back hurdling after finding fences difficult, Crosshill just held on in a thrilling finish from Classic Getaway who was demoted to third behind Nicky Henderson’s Fils D’oudairies having been adjudged to have caused interference on the run-in.
Harrington said: “He lost his confidence over fences and was jumping off to one side so it’s fantastic to get that back.
“It wasn’t straightforward today but he’s very tough and he stays very well.
“Robbie (Power) gave him a great ride and there is no better rider around here.”
Peter Fahey worked his magic again in the Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series Final with unconsidered 40/1 chance Ambitious Fellow following up Suprise Package’s win of 12 months ago.
Like last year Fahey fielded a better-fancied runner in Freedom To Dream but he lost all chance when getting involved in a barging match with I A Connect at the second-last, causing that rival to unseat Adrian Heskin.
“He was bought to be sold but we brought him across to Doncaster and couldn’t get anyone to buy him. Oran Crean, Gerry O’Neill and my wife Ber own him,” said Fahey.
“He goes on nicer ground and we’ll tip away over the summer. I’ve been very lucky in this series.”
Henry de Bromhead’s Life In The Park (9/2) took the opening Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle in the hands of Mikey O’Connor.
In the concluding Weatherbys General Stud Book Irish EBF Mares Flat Race, Noel Meade and Pat Taaffe struck with The Model Kingdom (9/2), who took the step up to Grade Three level in her stride to maintain her unbeaten record with a narrow defeat of 200/1 outsider Beyond Ambitious.