Hardy mare Effernock Fizz in bid to follow up her remarkable Fairyhouse success in Saturday's Scottish Champion Hurdle

Effernock Fizz will attempt to complete a Welsh and Scottish Champion Hurdle double at Ayr this weekend as trainer Cian Collins gives his mare another big handicap assignment after a remarkable success in the lucrative RYBO Handicap Hurdle at Fairyhouse a fortnight ago.

The nine-year-old is undoubtedly one of the most resilient mares around as she landed the €100,000 event on her 96th start in extraordinary circumstances. Having shot clear of the field from flag-fall under her typical front-running tactics by Carl Millar, Effernock Fizz built up a sizeable advantage coming to three out but came under immediate pressure from the saddle on landing.

Her rivals closed the gap significantly coming to the penultimate flight, while Millar was hard at work on the eventual winner, who looked to have run her race. However, she refused to be passed, fending off all rivals to run out an authoritative winner by two and a half lengths after hitting a high of 310 in-running on Betfair.

Attentions now turn to the Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr on Saturday, for which she is as big as 20-1, and Collins is hoping the ground dries out as much as possible. 

He said: "Ayr is the plan. It was a great win at Fairyhouse; the way she did it was unbelievable. I don't think too many horses could have won in the manner she did. She was saving a bit for herself out in front and Carl knew that. He gave her a great ride, he knows her well now and they're a very good team.

Effernock Fizz (right): "She's been unbelievable for us," says trainer Cian Collins

"I think we all thought the writing was on the wall for her after the second-last but she didn't. I didn't give her much chance going there as it was heavy ground and she definitely appreciates a better surface but we said we'd take the chance and thank God we did. The better the ground, the better she is."

A winner of four of her starts since joining Collins' Meath yard, Effernock Fizz has been a tremendous flagbearer for the up-and-coming trainer and will bid for the Champion Hurdle double having landed the Welsh edition at Ffos Las in 2022.

He said: "Hopefully, she has a chance. Willie [Mullins] will now probably be sending over a few for it, which will make it tougher, but you could never rule her out of any race.

"She gave me my first two winners and she's been placed in Graded races, second at Cheltenham twice over fences, and won three big pots in handicaps. She's been unbelievable for us. Carl will be on her again this weekend and we're looking forward to it."

Speaking about the mare's exceptional constitution which saw her take in 22 starts in 2023, he said: "I've never seen her leave any feed, she goes home every night after racing and always eats up. She always pulls out sound the next morning, there's never a problem with her. She has her own little attitude but we bring her to the beach and do our own little things with her. We're very lucky to have her."

Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle (2.25 Ayr, Saturday)
Sky Bet: 7-2 L'Eau Du Sud, 6 Kateira, 8 Iberico Lord, Doddiethegreat, 10 Onlyamatteroftime, Afadil, 12 Lark In The Mornin, Lump Sum, Cracking Rhapsody, 14 bar 

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