'He's got the highest rating and seems in very good shape' - Facile Vega seeks Supreme compensation

Willie Mullins has unsurprisingly dominated the first Grade 1 of the festival, winning it eight times in all, but he has had some red-hot favourites and a few household names beaten along the way too.  

Sir Gerhard (4-7), Getabird (11-10), Melon (5-4), Yorkhill (4-9) and Champagne Fever (evens) all suffered shock defeats here. 

Draconian was a 25-1 outsider when he scored under Noel Fehily in 2018, while Cilaos Emery was 8-1 the previous year when denying the perennial bridesmaid Melon after Labaik failed to take off at the same time as the others. 

That said, Echoes In Rain, Klassical Dream, Douvan and Faugheen have all justified odds-on favouritism for the champion trainer in the last decade and Facile Vega will bid to do likewise here. 

Last year's Champion Bumper winner completely bombed out at the Dublin Racing Festival, but he was back on song in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham when trading at 1-5 in running on the Betfair Exchange before being collared by Marine Nationale. 

He was ridden with more restraint there, although many felt Paul Townend was in front soon enough. Tactics will be fascinating here and it goes without saying he will be hard to beat if given a freebie up front. 

Il Etait Temps: tends to race keenlyCredit: Caroline Norris

Champion amateur Patrick Mullins won this in 2021 on Echoes In Rain and he keeps the ride on Diverge after finishing third on him in the Supreme. He has nearly three lengths to find with Facile Vega from that clash but his more experienced stablemate was better placed throughout the contest. 

Given he went straight from a weak maiden hurdle straight into the Supreme, it was a serious performance from Diverge and it would come as no surprise if he improved past Facile Vega. 

Il Etait Temps, Facile Vega's conqueror at the Dublin Racing Festival, didn't hurdle with fluency in the Supreme and was beaten nine lengths into fifth. A slicker performance in the jumping stakes would bring him right back into the mix and he does have a Racing Post Rating of 157 on his CV. That is the single best piece of form in the race. 

Found A Fifty and No Looking Back were both beaten at Aintree in the Top Novices' Hurdle won by Inthepocket. That was only 11 days ago so it would be a big ask of them to bounce back and win this.

'He's got plenty of speed, we saw that at Cheltenham' 

Willie Mullins had the option of stepping Facile Vega up in trip but has opted to stick at two miles after his second in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The six-year-old won the Grade 1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown over the distance in December and will bid to add a second top-level success over hurdles – and a fourth overall – to his CV here.

Mullins said: "Facile Vega has got plenty of speed. We saw that in Cheltenham, he was so fast down between the third-last and the second-last. He's got the highest rating here and he seems to have come back from Cheltenham in very good shape."

What they say 

Willie Mullins, trainer of Diverge and Il Etait Temps
The pace of the race and the track might suit Diverge better than the Supreme did. He could improve again. Il Etait Temps has his chance on previous form at the Dublin Racing Festival. I think the smaller field might suit both him and Diverge.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Found A Fifty
Things just didn’t work out for him at Aintree. He’s a talented animal and we didn’t see the best of him there. He's definitely better than that and hopefully he can show what he is made of here. He's one we're excited about sending over fences next season.

Read more of Tuesday's previews:

4.50 Punchestown: 'A sharp two miles will suit him' - key quotes and analysis for the handicap which hasn't had a winning favourite since 2002    

5.25 Punchestown: Energumene expected to win - but who does Willie Mullins think might pose the biggest danger?    

6.35 Punchestown: Paul Townend keeps faith with Appreciate It - but Journey With Me could stun Mullins stars    

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.