Cheltenham under consideration after Easy Game wins Navan Novice Hurdle

It's an easy game this. Willie Mullins had won the Navan Novice Hurdle six times since 2008 and his number one hope for the 2018 running was a previous course-and-distance winner who had beaten two of his rivals on his last visit to the track.

He had lots of experience, too. How was Easy Game allowed to go off at 4-1 you might ask. How indeed.

Ruby Walsh took the brave man's route up the inner and had a willing partner who wasn't flustered by the traffic congestion. Once the gap came, he found a smart turn of foot to see off stablemate Getareason by two lengths.

Mullins admitted that Easy Game continues to surprise him and faced up to the fact that he must now come under consideration for Cheltenham.

Before then, the Lawlor's of Naas Novice Hurdle on January 6 could be his first crack at Grade 1 level.

Mullins said: "He has come under the radar and he keeps surprising me. I didn't think he would be this successful to be perfectly honest with you.

"I suppose that puts him in our Cheltenham picture now and we'll give him an entry in the Grade 1 at Naas next month now, although most of our past winners of this race had only had one run.

"He's had six now and won four of them. He's got a very different profile to my other winners and has had a busy season."

Easy Game (right): jumped neatly on the inside of the fieldCredit: Patrick McCann

On the runner-up, Getareason, Mullins added: "He showed he has an engine and jumped better today. I think he's up to winning Graded races."

This Grade 2 has an illustrious roll of honour and Easy Game follows Mikael D'Haguenet (2008), Boston Bob (2011), Pont Alexandre (2012), Briar Hill (2013), Bellshill (2015) and Next Destination (2017) in winning for Mullins.

He is now generally a 20-1 shot (from 33) for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at the Festival. Mikael D'Haguenet is the only Mullins-trained horse to do the double.

Navan Novice Hurdle result

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