Faugheen

[winston2014]

Anyone any thoughts on his defeat? Willie Mullins said Faugheen blew Nicholls Canyon away on the gallops last Tuesday but then had no reason why he got turned over on Sunday. Nicholls Canyon was rated 155 so to beat Faugheen he has improved 20lbs in 5 days?? I find that very strange. Personally I don’t think Faugheen was 100% fit he looked very fat and although he won first time out last year his opposition was inferior then, Nichols is no mug and won 4 Grade 1's last season. Faugheen usually sets the tempo of the race from the front but ruby elected to tuck him in behind Nicholls throughout the race so the result was a very sedate pace then when it came to the business end of the race 2 hurdles out Ruby started to get serious on Faugheen, but that was madness against an ex-flat horse who was rated in the 110's on the level. I suspect Mullins got the tactics very badly wrong and should have let him dictate his own pace in front galloping Nichols into the ground because we all know Faugheen has stamina as well as speed having already won over 3m in the mud. Everything from the comments from trainer and jockey to the tactics just doesn’t add up for me and I honestly believe he wasn’t 100% fit and willie knew that but won’t admit it. Great shame because i honestly did believe this horse would remain unbeaten if 100% race fit.

[BillyHills]

I think it was the plan for Faugheen to get a lead as long as possible but maybe they have under estimated Nicholls Canyon. 

For me if i didn't know the horses involved and was watching the race i would have concluded that the runner-up needed some sort of head-gear, tongue-tie or similar. He just didn't seem to be balanced to me and was hanging his head slightly. Maybe something will come to light but something was wrong i believe. 

At the end of the day this wasn't the day when it mattered so much and i find the Irish trial races are very unsatisfactory full stop. Mullins has the run of things and as long as he does we will get results like this. Many times his 'unfancied' runners topple the so-called first strings.