Salvator Mundi overcomes jumping errors to provide Willie Mullins with latest win in Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle

Salvator Mundi was cut to 7-2 (from 5) for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle with the sponsors after landing the same firm's Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle, giving Willie Mullins his seventh winner in the last 11 runnings of this Grade 2 contest, and his fourth in a row.

The French-bred had not been seen since making all to win a Tipperary maiden hurdle by 62 lengths in May. Rider Paul Townend had been quoted as really looking forward to renewing acquaintance with him, but not many would have predicted how he would be ridden.

It was clearly a planned decision to hold him up and it presented the other riders with a quandary, as it was not something they would have expected. The outcome was a slow gallop with the favourite fighting for his head most of the way, and his jumping suffered as a result.

Those were the negatives. The positives were what he produced when he picked up, and from looking beaten before the straight he quickened to the front in a few strides and went clear from the last to score by three lengths from stablemate Kel Histoire.

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Paul Townend and groom Mohammed Firdosh with Salvator Mundi at PunchestownCredit: Patrick McCann

Clearly the winner has a considerable engine and how he will be ridden at Cheltenham will occupy many minds for the next couple of months. Townend said: “He was fresh and it was messy so I would say it was going to be hard to be impressive. We know he can jump but he didn’t jump well today because I couldn’t let him.

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“He had to dig in then off the bend on tacky ground in the straight. He had to find plenty. It’s hard to be impressive on that ground but at least he won. He’ll have to build on it but I think he will. He has gears and on that ground it’s hard to use them to the best effect. I’d say a stronger run race on looser ground, wetter ground even, would help him.”

Salvator Mundi and Paul Townend return to the Punchestown winner's enclosureCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Runner-up Kel Histoire did not do his Cheltenham prospects any harm either. But for being hampered when the pace picked up, he would have been a more convincing runner-up and owner JP McManus's racing manager Frank Berry commented: “He ran well. He learned a fair bit from the last day and hopefully he will learn a bit more from this.

"They went no gallop and it developed into a bit of a sprint but we're very happy with the run.”

Trainer Henry de Bromhead would be happy to get another crack at some of these with the fourth Sky Lord. He said: “We're happy, I thought he ran well. He did all of the donkey work. He jumped well and he travelled really well. The way the track is was not ideal for us either and he's well worth another try at this level.”

Ruby Walsh and Patrick Mullins assess Salvator Mundi . . .

Ruby Walsh: “What did he do right, other than win? He didn’t jump as well as he can do, or could do, or will have to. He was quite keen, but he has a big engine and that’s what ultimately got him out of trouble.

“He’ll have to race more relaxed and jump a lot better but he’s gone and won and that’s the main thing. It was a good performance from a horse who did everything back to front and he's beaten some race-fit rivals.”

Patrick Mullins: “The engine is massive. After a half mile I thought he couldn't win on his first run in six months pulling like that on heavy ground. Obviously, because he was keen and Paul didn’t want to let him jump he didn’t jump so he had every reason to get beaten and still won.

“There should be a lot of improvement there. We’ll see how he comes out of today but I wouldn’t be surprised if he went straight to Cheltenham. We’re not worried about his jumping.”

Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Cheltenham, March 11)

Sky Bet: 7-2 Salvator Mundi, 8 Romeo Coolio, 12 Kopek Des Bordes, Kaid D’Authie, 14 The New Lion, 20 Jeroboam Machin, Kel Histoire, Workahead 25 bar

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