TECH giant Apple was responsible for one of the most famous slogans in advertising history with the catchline ‘Think Different’, but Emmet Mullins is quickly making that phrase his own.

At a time when top point-to-point recruits are often conditioned to spend three full seasons between bumpers, novice hurdles and novice chases before tackling open company over fences, there is something really refreshing about his campaigning of Feronily.

Mullins does not operate with huge numbers. He had 75 runners in Ireland this season prior to this week. Willie Mullins saddled 94 horses at last year’s Punchestown Festival alone. However, that does not stop the champion’s nephew from taking major scalps, with friend and owner Paul Byrne also deserving credit for his outside-the-box thinking.

Without Feronily in the line-up, Willie Mullins would have mopped up all three Grade 1s on the day and would actually have emerged with the 1-2-3 here. He had already mopped up the 1-2-5 in the Grade 1 Novice Hurdle, 1-2-3-4 in the Champion Chase, 1-2-3 in the Grade B Handicap Hurdle and 1-2 in the Goffs Defender Bumper.

GETTING involved in ante-post markets 11 months before the Cheltenham Festival is usually far from my cup of tea, but identifying value in such races is not as easy as it once was when we face into the season proper next winter.

With that in mind, odds of 6/1 about Facile Vega for next year’s Arkle look too big after Willie Mullins confirmed he would be chasing next season.

There is obviously the chance Constitution Hill could be sent chasing, but he didn’t hit the line like one who would appreciate running beyond two and a half miles when winning the Aintree Hurdle earlier this month. If he isn’t going to stay the Cheltenham Gold Cup trip, will connections really pass up on the chance to dominate the Champion Hurdle division for years to come? I expect him to stay over hurdles.

It’s hard to envisage Facile Vega going beyond two miles considering his style of racing. He paid the price for keenness and going too hard over the minimum trip when blowing out at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Against that backdrop, the Arkle would look an obvious target.

If Energumene and El Fabiolo are both healthy and in top form come next March, Paul Townend could be facing a headache over riding plans for the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Consistency is one of the reigning champion’s top traits - winning 12 of his 15 starts and never finishing out of the first three - but he could look a shade vulnerable to his younger stablemate.

Energumene will be 10 next year and - with the exception of his easy win in a Champion Chase that fell apart at Cheltenham - it’s tough to say he has improved this season. There may be a changing of the guard next term, and his biggest threat hails from within his own stable in the shape of this year’s impressive Arkle winner.