Facile Vega ends season on a high as he cruises to another Grade 1 success

Cheltenham was better than Leopardstown but this was much better again as Facile Vega bounced back to his emphatic best with a barnstorming triumph in the KPMG Novice Hurdle on what is likely to prove his final start over the smaller obstacles.

The absence of his Supreme Novices' Hurdle conqueror Marine Nationale means there is a caveat to this seven-and-a-half-length triumph, and the runner-up stablemate Il Etait Temps was a similar distance behind here as he was at Prestbury Park. However, Willie Mullins and Paul Townend are both of the opinion that this athletic, free-striding son of Quevega will be better still over fences next season. That is quite a prospect.

He flung himself clumsily at the third-last flight but recovered to assume the lead from his other Closutton companion Diverge. From there, although Il Etait Temps kept at it manfully, Facile Vega was simply too good.

At odds of 4-6, he quickened clear to banish the memory of his Dublin Racing Festival defeat to secure a fourth Grade 1 victory, and Mullins' ninth in this two-mile contest.

"I've always thought the world of him and think he has huge ability," the trainer said of the Hammer and Trowel Syndicate's pride and joy. "I look forward to him going over fences next season. Paul thinks that he doesn't have much respect for hurdles. He thinks he will have far more respect over fences so we'll start him off over fences and see how things go.

"We'll pop him over a fence maybe next week and put him out to grass and then come back over fences next season."

Facile Vega clears the last Facile Vega clears the last on his way to a second Grade 1 victory over hurdleson his way to a second Grade

Facile Vega clears the last on his way to a second Grade 1 victory over hurdlesCredit: Alan Crowhurst

The Mullins template would suggest that Facile Vega will likely start off over two miles. He was duly cut to 11-2 (from 8-1) for the Arkle next March, although Mullins wasn't restricting him to a specific trip.

"His whole pedigree would suggest he could go out to three miles any day of the week, and I know he has enough pace to go two miles, so we will just let the horse tell us as he learns the game in the autumn," he said.

"If you have a horse who can win over two, it is easier to keep them sound and train them, and I prefer that, but we'll see."

Diverge cut out the early running but Townend, whose only previous win in this race came aboard Blackstairmountain in 2010, kept close tabs on him. When Patrick Mullins' mount began to wilt at the third-last flight, Facile Vega made a blunder yet hardly skipped a beat.

"In this type of a field I said to Paul to be positive on him," Mullins said of the tactics. "He has a huge long stride and gallops and is able to quicken off that as well. His long stride in the early part of the race means he covers a lot of ground, so there is no point in hanging out the back door."

Townend, who will be crowned Irish champion jockey for a sixth time on Saturday, was suitably impressed.

"It was a good performance," he said with typical understatement. "The third-last was a scare but he came straight back on it. I was able to get Danny [Mullins, Il Etait Temps's rider] off it turning in and he lengthened all the way down the straight. We went a proper gallop and he still travelled. The hurdles kind of get in his way when he is meeting them wrong so chasing might suit him."

Read these next:

Energumene holds off resurgent Chacun Pour Soi to claim another Champion Chase double

Confirmed runners and riders for the two Grade 1s on day three of the Punchestown festival