Facile Vega shines on hurdling debut at Fairyhouse

As a son of six-time Cheltenham Festival heroine Quevega, the Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old carried all before him in the bumper sphere last season – winning each of his four starts including big-race triumphs at the Dublin Racing Festival, the Cheltenham Festival and the Punchestown Festival.

He was unsurprisingly a very short price to make a successful transition to the jumping game in division two of the Fingal Ravens Raceday Maiden Hurdle – and anyone tempted by the odds of 1/9 will have had few concerns.

With Paul Townend taking over in the saddle from the trainer’s son, Patrick, Facile Vega travelled supremely well and jumped accurately throughout the two-mile contest, before starting to go through the gears swinging for home.

Once given his head, the son of Walk In The Park readily extended clear, passing the post with 14 lengths in hand over An Mhi.

Mullins said: “I was very happy how he jumped for a horse first time out and making his own running. He hurdled like a handicapper and it was a fantastic performance.

"I’m not sure what happened at the third-last and Paul thought something just caught his eye. He just gave him a squeeze and he took off up the straight. We’ll see how he is after this and maybe look at Christmas.”

He is now 5/4 favourite (from 7/4) with the sponsors for the Sky Bet Supreme at Cheltenham.

Cheltenham target for Crooner

Gordon Elliott already has a Cheltenham Festival race in mind for Minella Crooner after his victory in the Jim Ryan Racecourse Services Beginners Chase.

Grade One-placed as a novice hurdler, the six-year-old made his fencing debut last month and this time went one place better as he came out on top in a battle with 4-6 favourite I Am Maximus, who was having his first run for Mullins having been fourth in the Ballymore for Nicky Henderson.

A short head was the winning margin for Elliott’s 2/1 chance, with the market leader not helping his cause in jumping to his left.

The County Meath trainer said: “He’s a grand horse. We’ll probably head for Leopardstown over three miles and I’d imagine the further he goes, the better he will be.

“He could be an ideal horse for a National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham because he doesn’t do a stroke. We were probably handed the race because the other horse jumped left, but Jack (Kennedy) said he has a great attitude and gallops the whole way. He’s very straightforward and was probably a bit fitter and sharper than the last day.”

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