Eight-times Grade 1 winner Faugheen has been beaten once again, as Supasundae tore past his rival to take the Irish Champion Hurdle in Leopardstown.
The 2015 Cheltenham Champion Hurdle winner failed to impress at the same track over Christmas and lost despite going off at 2/5 favourite that time out.
Supasundae wins the Irish Champion Hurdle! @LeopardstownRC #DublinRacingFestival pic.twitter.com/QG7ntwiGVr
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) February 3, 2018
Where this leaves the Willie Mullins trained horse remains to be seen, as the yard were left bewildered by his seemingly inexplicable performance at Christmas.
For Supasundae, the Jessica Harrington trained 8-year-old won last season's Coral Cup at Cheltenham and was a surprise entry given the minimum trip.
It proved an extremely wise decision as the horse looks in fine form heading into the long-term aim which is Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Writing in his Irish Independent column this morning, Patrick Mullins said Faugheen seemed back 'in full working order.'
Nothing showed up to explain the Christmas mystery, which is most strange. However, reports that the once great engine is rusted and beyond repair are highly exaggerated. Even Muhammad Ali got beaten in his heyday.
Ruby Walsh echoed these sentiments in the same paper.
If he does what he's been doing at home then he'll do what Faugheen has always done.
It was not a horrible performance by Fuagheen but once again the horse looked a shadow of his former-greatness that saw him storm up the notorious hill. With the festival just weeks away, the horse will need a serious improvement, but it is a track he loves.
