Faultless Faugheen romps to 15-length win at Leopardstown

Champion Hurdle hero Faugheen was faultless in giving the all-conquering Mullins a sixth successive win in the Irish equivalent, pulling 15 lengths clear of stablemates Arctic Fire and Nichols Canyon.

The imposing victory was sufficient for Leeds-based bookmaker William Hill to make Faugheen an odds-on chance at 1-3 to defend his Cheltenham crown. Spokesman Jon Ivan-Duke said: “Faugheen is a near certainty to win the Champion Hurdle. He’s thumped his nearest rivals and done it without exerting himself.”

Mullins was even more impressed with Douvan, who he described as “a different species” after winning the Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase at Leopardstown by a wide margin.

Now odds-on to win the Arkle Trophy, the two-mile championship race at Cheltenham for novice chasers and which celebrates the greatest racehorse of all, the trainer eulogised: “You are seeing now what he shows me every day at home. It’s as if he’s just a different species. We don’t know how good he his. He could be anything.”

Walsh said: “He’s a bit flat over his fences and doesn’t arch his back. Master Minded used to do that, too – flat but effective over his fences. Not arching his back means he’s fast away and that’s a huge plus for a two-miler chaser.”

These high-profile successes came 24 hours after Mullins and Walsh cleaned up at Ascot where Un De Sceaux, last year’s Arkle winner, won the Sodexo Clarence House Chase at Ascot and reaffirmed his position as the horse to fear in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Former Champion Chase hero Sire De Grugy proved no match and the last three winners of this Ascot race have all prevailed in the Queen Mother at Cheltenham. “I was lucky enough to ride Master Minded and Azertyuiop and rode against Moscow Flyer, so I’ve ridden some great horses, but he has all the attributes – he stays really well and has a good turn of foot,” ventured Walsh.

Earlier the mare Vroum Vroum Mag enhanced her Cheltenham Festival claims with victory in the OLBG.com Mares’ Hurdle at Ascot. However, her Cheltenham target is unclear; she is second favourite for both the Mares’ Hurdle and World Hurdle.

On the quartet – three of which are owned by Rich Ricci – Mullins said: “I’m as gobsmacked – and our team at home are as gobsmacked – as you guys. We don’t take it for granted, we look at it and think this is unbelievable. We don’t think it’s a God-given right – we appreciate the horses.”