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If Faugheen stays over hurdles surely he will be hard to beat? Monstrous performance today, moreso than Vautour in the Supreme. Absolute machine.
I’d still have him behind the first 3 home in this years renewal for the minute.
As impressive as he was I’d want to see more next year, Personally try to not get to carried away with novice form, Our Conor didn’t win a race after his novice campaign, one could argue if he hadn’t sadly fallen he may have been primed for the Champion and gone close in that race, but looking at his novice win he looked a world beater.
The other thing as you state is if he will stay over hurdles, Mullins could run his own private Champion Hurdle! It’s hard enough to know which is the best in his stable.
Best bet may be Mullins to train the Champion Hurdle winner, anyone got a price?
Having said that, I’m still saying The New One at this early stage.
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So MTOY stays hurling? The New One or Faugheen to win it, I’ll be backing TNO!
I’m not convinced The New One enjoys going right-handed. His jumping can be unpredictable on any track (and might be the element that stops him winning a CH), but it seems more fragile going right, and, even galloping, he doesn’t look comfortable to my eye.
I’m not sure whether I’d necessarily agree with that, but I would say I would have liked to have seen him do more today at Kempton – after the way he demolished Rock On Ruby last year, a two-length win over Hint Of Mint (albeit when STD didn’t really have to do much – although he didn’t really have to do much last year) was a touch underwhelming.
Either that, or Hint Of Mint is actually a pretty decent horse (which may be true).
Never mind, it’s Faugheen’s to lose now.
BlueSky @pghenn.bsky.social
So don't run, just like the others always do
Faugheen’s to lose? Looks like Jezki’s set to be underrated for a second year. All the more value for supporters!
Faugheen The Machine will win this, and win it well.
Jezki was a changing of the guard type horse – the Hurricane wasn’t what he was last year, and someone had to win it. Shame that the glorified handicapper is injured – would have kept that price up enough (though Faugheen at 4s is still great value).
BlueSky @pghenn.bsky.social
So don't run, just like the others always do
- Total Posts 764
The New One still my choice, staying loyal to this boy, Faugheen won’t be able to power up that hill like the Twiston Davis mount! TNO will come motoring home and nip him inside the final furlong after coming off the bit much sooner than Faugheen.
The New One still my choice, staying loyal to this boy, Faugheen won’t be able to power up that hill like the Twiston Davis mount! TNO will come motoring home and nip him inside the final furlong after coming off the bit much sooner than Faugheen.
I’d wager that if The New One comes off the bit before Faugheen then it’s game over for The New One. The New One won’t ‘out-stay’ the Mullins horse.
- Total Posts 764
The New One still my choice, staying loyal to this boy, Faugheen won’t be able to power up that hill like the Twiston Davis mount! TNO will come motoring home and nip him inside the final furlong after coming off the bit much sooner than Faugheen.
I’d wager that if The New One comes off the bit before Faugheen then it’s game over for The New One. The New One won’t ‘out-stay’ the Mullins horse.
Staying won’t come in to it, TNO is all about speed and that electric burst he performs, most importantly, up the Cheltenham hill, he really seems to relish the place. If you watch TNO’s win in the Neptune he doesn’t look like the winner as they enter the final turn as Sam’s already riding him but once the horse knows his job he cracks up the gears. Faugheen will no doubt travel like an absolute dream but he won’t be able to get up the hill as fast as TNO so as long as he’s within a few lengths of the Mullins horse he’ll win
I’ve taken some 50s about Purple Bay. I think he’s likely to go up above 160 after yesterday, and if he runs in the Greatwood, he’d have a fine chance of winning and putting himself in the CH picture.
Looks a lovely type, and given that he gets outpaced at times, Cheltenham should be ideal. I think the fall of Irving (which hampered the winner) took a few eyes off the ball among race-readers. Have another look at the finish – he absolutely bolted up.
I said the same thing about him being hampered, would of been interesting to see how things had panned out if Irving had stayed on his feet but I don’t think he would of beat Purple Bay. However it’s hard to judge these early season races as race fitness comes into play and I’d expect Irving to be the better horse long term this year but as you say Purple Bay looks the more likely to be suited to the ups and downs of Cheltenham.
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
It is hard to ignore Mullins comment post Chelt when he stated Vautour was "on a different level" to Faugheen.
He can be quite a comedian at times that Willie Mullins.
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
I see Purple Bay is now rated 161 (8 lbs behind Jezki). He has every chance of winning the Fighting Fifth, imo, which would see him in the mid to high 160s.
A well-bred fast-improving 5-y-o, 50/1 is a gift (there was some 95 and 90 on Befair last night).
As the old saying goes, if Nicholls or Henderson trained him, he’d be a third of the price.
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