Punchestown Festival round-up: Vega records Facile win

Willie Mullins is excited to see what Facile Vega can achieve over fences next season after surviving a scare to get back on the winning trail in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.

The six-year-old had plenty live up to from day one as a son of the great racemare Quevega, who won six times at Punchestown to go with her six victories in the Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Facile Vega has largely upheld family honour, winning four bumpers and his first two starts over hurdles, but lost his unbeaten record when well held at Leopardstown in February and was ultimately no match for Marine Nationale when favourite to bounce back in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last month.

Despite those successive defeats, the Walk In The Park gelding was unsurprisingly short odds to end his season on a high back on home soil as the 4-6 favourite – and while a mistake three flights from home would have have had his supporters sweating, Paul Townend’s mount soon came back on the bridle and coasted clear in the straight.

Facile Vega’s stablemate Il Etait Temps was seven and a half lengths adrift in second at the line, while another Mullins runner, Diverge – third in the Supreme – weakened tamely after making much of the running and finished a tailed off last of five.

Facile Vega has emerged victorious in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown Watch the action live on @RTE2 & @RTEplayer #rteracing pic.twitter.com/r953JaMhz5

Mullins said: "I’ve always thought the world of him, he has huge ability and I’m looking forward to him going over fences next year.

"Paul thinks he doesn’t have much respect for hurdles and he could always do that type of thing even schooling at home. He thinks he’ll have far more respect for fences."

Wa