Faultless Faugheen motors to Irish Champion hurdle glory
Faugheen gave Willie Mullins a sixth successive triumph in the BHP Insurances Irish Champion Hurdle with an emphatic performance at Leopardstown.
After Hurricane Fly’s five wins in the race, it was the turn of Faugheen (3-10 favourite) to strut his stuff ahead of his bid to repeat last year’s victory in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Leading from flag-fall under Ruby Walsh, Faugheen was taken on at halfway by his stablemate Nichols Canyon, who had beaten him in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown earlier in the campaign.
However, a mistake at the second-last put paid to his chances and Faugheen went on to win as he liked by 15 lengths.
The other Mullins runner, Arctic Fire, was second, with Nichols Canyon third.
