Guinness Faugheen Novice Chase (Grade 1)

LIMERICK changed the date of its marquee race in a bid to increase crowd sizes on day three of its Christmas Festival, and those who came to see a star were duly treated to a box-office display from Gaelic Warrior in the Guinness Faugheen Novice Chase.

Jumping like a horse who has been chasing for years rather than making just his second start in this sphere, the Susannah Ricci-owned five-year-old took apart this five-runner field with an emphatic front-running performance for Patrick and Willie Mullins.

Sent off the 4/7 favourite, there were very few moments of concern for his supporters. One came briefly, however, when stablemate Il Etait Temps came with a run up the winner’s inner.

It got tight and he did not manage to squeeze into where Danny Mullins was aiming for, and it was plain sailing for Gaelic Warrior from there.

“He settled away going his own gallop,” said the winning rider, who memorably won this race aboard Faugheen in 2019.

“I was trying to get him to pop early on but he wasn’t too sure of that so then I let him jump. He loves the ground, won as he liked and jumped well once we got into a rhythm. Rachel Robins has done a great job with this horse and deserves a lot of credit.

Right-handed preference

“He’s only been beaten twice for us, when going left-handed - both times at Cheltenham. That track doesn’t really suit him. The Turners is on the New Course, which isn’t as tight as the Old Course, but he does jump good and right.

“I rode him there last year in the Ballymore [when runner-up to Impaire Et Passe] and got him down the rail. He only jumped right at the last, but he’s better going this direction.

“I don’t know what Willie has in mind next. The Dublin Racing Festival is one option and maybe we should try it [going left-handed] to see, I’m not sure. I wouldn’t mind sending him somewhere when Paul [Townend] is riding Galopin Des Champs elsewhere on the same day again!”

Could Mullins’ wishes come true if connections have a tilt at the Grade 1 Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase on the same day as the Dublin Racing Festival? It would be a right-handed option over a similar trip to this. Last year’s winner of the Faugheen Novice Chase, Gerri Colombe, followed that path.

The winning rider made no secret of his frustration with his cousin over the manoeuvre. Speaking about the incident before the second last, he added: “I was trying to get a breather into my horse.

“I told Danny there will be a gap down my inner coming to the second last - do not come for it.

Referred on

“He hasn’t listened to me and luckily he hasn’t got the two of us beaten. It didn’t matter.”

The raceday stewards interviewed the two Mullins cousins about those comments and decided to refer the matter on to a senior racing official.

Layers responded to the five-and-a-half-length success by cutting Gaelic Warrior to even-money favourite (from 15/8) for the Turners Novices’ Chase, while Paddy Power shortened him to 7/1 (from 14/1) for next year’s King George VI Chase.

Asked what is his optimum trip, Mullins said: “The way he jumps, two and a half miles - or maybe two miles on soft ground. He’s very versatile.

“You saw him win over three miles at Punchestown last season. The more racing he does, the more relaxed he gets.”