From Ebor hero to Cheltenham Festival glory: Absurde another ace for Willie Mullins in County Hurdle

Willie Mullins could probably turn water into wine the way his Cheltenham week is going, and if he can make a County Hurdle winner out of Ebor scorer Absurde, you would not put anything past him.

It was an eighth success of the meeting for the all-conquering Mullins but this victory came with a huge assist from his ice-cool stable jockey Paul Townend, who was last turning for home but sliced through his rivals to deny 7-2 favourite L'Eau Du Sud.

The market leader looked like he would provide another magical chapter to Dan and Harry Skelton's festival fairytale, but the 12-1 winner had a handy length to spare at the finish.

Pied Piper was third at 14-1, while fourth place went to 8-1 chance Magical Zoe and Afadil, under an enterprising front-running ride from conditional Freddie Gingell, finished fifth at 40-1.

Townend, earning his fifth win of the week and fourth in the County, could not disguise what a kick he got from the result.

"I loved that," he said. "I got a lot of satisfaction out of it to tell you the truth. What a horse to travel the world and come back and put in a performance like that on that ground.

"It's funny because we hacked round, but that got them racing early enough because everyone was aware we were going so slow and wanted to get in a position. 

"I thought I'd have the pace of them all on his Flat form and, if he handled the ground, he had a big chance, but the ground was a big worry.

"I was able to go out and take a chance and it's nice to be able to do that from time to time." 

Absurde and Paul Townend after winning the County HurdleCredit: Patrick McCann

A son of Fastnet Rock, Absurde ran to a fair Flat level in France before joining Mullins last year.

He was second to stablemate Vauban at Royal Ascot before disappointing in a Listed Galway novice hurdle, but returned to form to land the Ebor under Frankie Dettori in August. 

Zac Purton, a multiple champion jockey in Hong Kong, was on board for the six-year-old's Melbourne Cup seventh in November but you sense Mullins would not swap his stable jockey for many past or present.

The trainer, who was capturing the County for a record-extending seventh time, said: "Paul must not have one ounce of warm blood in his body – he was so cold-blooded the whole way down the hill.

"He's some guy to have on your side. I looked where he was early and thought it was no place to be, but the times on the screen suggested it would be a sprint and then he could have a chance with his Flat speed. It was typical Paul and one hell of a ride; it will be hard to beat that as a ride of the week."

Read more: 

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