What a race this was.
Jessica Harrington's Supasundae landed the spoils in the Bhp Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle in Leopardstown on Saturday. Robbie Powers' teak tough stayer outlasted Willie Mullins' 5/4 favourite Faugheen, kicking on after the final flight in the €84,000 Grade One.
https://twitter.com/AtTheRaces/status/959812666746314752
Faugheen ran like the Faugheen of old, taking the lead from the gun and looking to run his rivals ragged. The ten-year-old jumped and travelled relatively well, but he did seem to be lacking the gears we are so used to seeing him show, and the pace was never breakneck here.
It's clearly not the Faugheen of old, not yet anyaway, as Rich Ricci's horse had no response when last year's Coral Cup winner passed him up the home straight.
It was all about the 8-1 shot, however, who jumped super, and travelled well, which was surprising given that he is known as a stayer. He is by Galileo, however, and the turn of foot is clearly there.
A turn of foot that had many claiming the horse would have a say in the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle, but that won't be the case.
This horse looks tailor-made for the Stayers Hurdle for Cheltenham, for which he was cut into 3/1 after this showing. It would require a huge supplementary fee for him to run in the Champion, and trainer Jessica Harrington ruled that out after the race.
