Ryanair winner the biggest threat to Mullins hegemony

Willie Mullins will probably see more cause for concern in Petit Mouchoir's demolition of Nichols Canyon in the Ryanair Hurdle than he would have in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

Yanworth's class in undoubted, but it is likely he will need the Stan James Champion Hurdle to be run a certain way for his usual finishing rattle to count towards anything meaningful. Petit Mouchoir can evidently take matters into his own hands, as he did in burning off Nichols Canyon, who admittedly did not help himself.

With all the uncertainty surrounding exactly what form Mullins' assault on the Champion Hurdle will take, and the well-being of his biggest guns having to be taken on trust, 10-1 about a horse who but for a fall would likely have the Fighting Fifth as well as the Ryanair Hurdle trophy on his mantelpiece already this winter starts to make some appeal. At the rate he is improving he could easily wind up second favourite behind the appointed Mullins first string.