Quilixios question mark as he renews rivalry with Naas conqueror Teahupoo

Wednesday: 1.30 LimerickBoyleSports Sporting Limerick Hurdle (Grade 2) | 2m | 4yo | RTV/RTE2

If a comprehensive defeat in the Grade 1 juvenile hurdle at the Punchestown festival could be put down to the end of a long and hard season for Quilixios, the Triumph Hurdle winner faces a big question mark after finishing a well-beaten second behind Teahupoo – a rival again here – on his return at Naas last month.

That was not the Quilixios who won back-to-back Grade 1s last season, including his memorable slamming of Adagio, Haut En Couleurs and Zanahiyr in the Triumph that made him top dog of the juvenile division.

But like many Triumph Hurdle winners, Quilixios has yet to reproduce that level of form and, while it is still early days in his campaign, this represents an important test.

The one thing in the Triumph Hurdle winner's favour here is the ground. He won his only start in France on heavy ground and, throughout his juvenile career, shaped as if he would stay further in time, which will be an asset at Limerick.

The Naas defeat in the Fishery Lane Hurdle could be viewed as too bad to be true given Quilixios hung to his right throughout and, if connections have rectified that issue, Teahupoo will face a much stiffer challenge.

Teahupoo received 4lb from Quilixios when dishing out that 12-length hammering but gets just 2lb this time.

There is a danger the winner didn't get the credit he deserved for that performance and the fact that the Grade 1 Matheson Hurdle was being considered as an option for him over the festive period illustrates his standing at Gordon Elliott's yard.

Teahupoo has been beaten just once, when second to subsequent Grade 1 Punchestown winner Jeff Kidder at Fairyhouse in the spring, but he had that rival well behind in third in the Fishery Lane.

Even taking into consideration that Quilixios didn't run his race in the Fishery Lane and that Jeff Kidder came into the contest off the back of an uninspiring Flat campaign, it was hard not to be impressed by Teahupoo's performance, and it looks as though he could have improved past last season's juveniles. If that is the case, he could take a bit of stopping here.

The only other horse in the line-up who could conceivably get into the shake-up is Padraig Roche’s Slip Of The Tongue.

On his reappearance at Gowran Park he chased home the potentially smart Saint Felicien, from the same Elliott and Robcour axis as Teahupoo, but improvement will be needed to figure here.

It is possible Slip Of The Tongue could improve given this is just his third career start but it's hard to get away from the big two, with Teahupoo expected to come out on top.

What they say

Chris Richardson, managing director of Cheveley Park Stud, owners of Quilixios
He's in good form and Henry's very happy with him at home. We thought this race was the best option for him being against four-year-olds and then we can take the next step with him after that. Nothing really came to light to explain why he ran like he did last time. It was just one of those bizarre things that happen.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Teahupoo
He came out of the Fishery Lane in really good shape. Deep ground at Limerick is a bit of a worry but he goes there in great form.

Padraig Roche, trainer of Slip Of The Tongue
We like him but he'll need to improve to trouble the top two.

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