'He keeps surprising me and keeps improving' - Mystical Power now 12-1 for Champion Hurdle after another Grade 1 win

When Mystical Power first came to Closutton, Willie Mullins was almost asking for a birth certificate to prove his parents were definitely Galileo and Annie Power. He was bred to be Pele, but looked like a sub on a Sunday League team for the first few years of his life. Not anymore. The skill and class is coming out in spades now.

"When we had him as a two-year-old he didn't show me anything," Mullins admitted in the aftermath of the five-year-old's second Grade 1 triumph in a row.

"As a three-year-old he showed me a little bit; as a four-year-old he was good enough to go to the west of Ireland [Ballinrobe] for a bumper; now look at him. He just keeps surprising me and keeps improving."

You can say that again, Willie. This late surge to gun down Firefox marks him down as the top two-mile novice hurdler of the season, confirming Aintree form over the gallant Gordon Elliott-trained runner-up and proving he has stamina to go with the speed he showed in the Supreme and again at Aintree.

The 1-2-3 from the Supreme was reshuffled here, as Slade Steel, winner of the festival opener at Cheltenham, could take only third despite moving up ominously on the home turn and looking by far the most likely winner. Firefox fended him off coming down to the last, but he couldn't repel Mystical Power.

Mark Walsh never really looked happy at any stage, but his class shone through up the home straight as he pinged the last and won going away by a length and three-quarters.

Mullins said: "He showed resilience and toughness today. I didn’t think we had much chance at the second-last and Mark said he was going as fast as he could coming around the last bend, but the race turned into a staying race and, with the other two protagonists playing their cards going to the last, they were flat out and he just outstayed them with a good jump at the last.

“It’s fantastic he’s progressed as the season has gone on and I think Annie Power is coming out in him."

Mark Walsh acknowledges the applause as he returns to the winner's enclosure on Mystical PowerCredit: Patrick McCann

Walsh was impressed too, saying: "He's very tough and seems to get better with every run, learning all the time. We went a proper gallop and I was going about as quick as I wanted. I was worried he might not get to them, but he seemed to improve the further he went. He's a good jumper."

Paddy Power reacted by cutting Mystical Power to 12-1 (from 16-1) for the 2025 Champion Hurdle, and Mullins feels he has the traits to be a player in that.

He said: "There is a lot of thinking to do, but I don’t think he’ll go novice chasing as he looks more of a hurdler than a chaser.

"He could easily step up in trip watching that performance today. Mark said he found it tough with the amount of speed that was in the early part of the race.

"It looked a real staying race there today, which would mean he’s a two-and-a-half-mile hurdler and they are the sort of horses you probably need to win a Champion Hurdle, so maybe it’s all pointing in that direction."

Mystical Power might be staying over hurdles, but Firefox definitely isn't.

Jack Kennedy said: "He's run a massive race again. He's a big horse so he'll be lovely next year over a fence."

Slade Steel will probably follow him down that route, but Mystical Power is staying over hurdles and don't be surprised if he gives State Man and Constitution Hill something to think about come next March. His folks must be proud.

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