Willie Mullins reacts to some of his key weekend runners at Fairyhouse including a striking hurdling debut win for Facile Vega.
It's always a bit of a worry with a horse like Facile Vega in the yard - waiting to get him out and waiting for ground conditions to come right, as well as for the horse to come right.
We decided to take our chance before Christmas and he was amazing from the start. He went down to the first like a handicapper and continued to jump that way the whole way round.
Paul gave him a squeeze and he just took off with him. He said he just had to hang on from there to the winning post and he galloped away right through the winning post, which you always like to see a horse doing.
We don't know what he beat but the way he beat them was huge, visually.
You'd be thinking about Christmas straight away now and hoping everything goes well before that.
Lossiemouth won from Zarak The Brave on Sunday in the juvenile hurdle and the winner came from France with a nice reputation and had been doing nice work at home, but Paul was keen to stick with Zarak The Brave who had done it already on the track over course and distance.
Lossiemouth was very good for Danny, looking a natural. Danny was impressed with the scope she had jumping hurdles and every time he asked she clicked into gear.
Paul said Zarak The Brave was still improving.
I thought the trip might be a little short for Gaillard Du Mesnil in the Drinmore but all the rain and weather we had over the last 12 hours made a difference and brought him right into the race.
Unfortunately, there was one too good but he ran a solid race and I think he's still Grade One material, maybe over a longer trip.
It was a pity to see Honeysuckle lose for the first time in the Hatton's Grace and I thought we were going to take that crown off her with Klassical Dream - only to be denied by Teahupoo who has some great form in his career as well.
We were very happy with how Klassical Dream ran, the way he settled and the way he jumped. Everything went right for us really and we're hoping that will get him straight heading into Christmas and maybe onto Cheltenham after that.
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