Willie Mullins' Vauban (6-4 favourite) came out on top of an Irish clean sweep in the JCB Triumph Hurdle – Grade One opener on the final day of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival.
The big three of Vauban and the Gordon Elliott-trained duo Pied Piper (7-2) and Fil Dor (9-2) came to the final flight almost together in the two-mile contest with the eventual winner just in front.
Under Paul Townend, the Susannah and Rich Ricci-owned four-year-old, wasn't entirely fluent over the last but kept his advantage. And as all three powered up the hill towards the line, the classy Vauban was the quicker and went on to score by two-and-a-half lengths from Fil Dor (11-2), who just edged out Pied Piper by a neck.
Pied Piper had beaten Vauban at Punchestown when they faced off on their respective hurdling debuts in December and although both went on to win – Vauban a Grade One at Leopardstown and Pier Piper a Grade Two – it was Vauban who has impreved the most since.
Having had little luck earlier at the meeting, the famous pink and lime-green spotted colours of the Ricci family were carried to glory for a 19th time at the Cheltenham Fesitval but a first of this week.
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It was the sixth winner of the week for County Carlow handler Mullins and a record-extending 84th at the Festival.
The trainer said: "I'm delighted with that. He was able to win even without having the experience that he should have going into that sort of race.
"You could see that when he hit the front. Paul said he was looking at everything and probably all the cameras on the landing side of the last hurdle and he just lost his impetus. But he picked up quickly again and went on like a good horse.
"You'd have to think he could be a Champion Hurdle horse and he has a great Flat rating. I think he'll improve with age and experience and with the Flat rating he has, he'll be good enough to contest those cup races, I think.
"I'll have a word with Rich, but I'd imagine we'll give him his summer off and then maybe hurdle next season and go Flat racing after that."
The winner could bid for the Grade One juvenile double in the 4-Y-O Anniversary Juvenile Hurdle at the Randox Grand National at Aintree Racecourse next month. Although connections may wait for the Punchestown Festival later in the month or even a Flat campaign.
But following his fine win, Vauban may be a Unibet Champion Hurdle contender in 12 month's time, a race for which he is a best-priced 10-1 chance with Coral behind general 3-1 favourite and dual winner Honeysuckle.
Mullins added: "Champion Hurdle winners over the years have gone back on the Flat. The Easterbys over the years have gone to Chester and places like that.
"Champion Hurdle winners in the previous generation went back Flat racing because they were top-class Flat horses. Those horses are not bought now because they're bought to go to Australia and Dubai and places like that.
"I've got a bit of unfinished down in Australia (in the Melbourne Cup), but I don't think it will be this year. After Punchestown I think we'll give him a break.
"The Melbourne Cup is a particular itch we'd love to scratch. We've finished second, third and fourth in it over the years and it's a race I'd love to win.
"He has the credentials for it every day of the week. He'd be as good as any of those horses (we have run in the Melbourne Cup before)."
Townend was having his fourth winner of this week and a 22nd overall at the Festival.
The jockey said: "We always said he was a work in progress and he's improved every day and he can improve again.
"We hadn't planned to be in front at the last, but that is just the way it turned out. He had a look around and I knew there was loads there when I got to the back of it.
"He's a bit to learn, but he's improving with every run. He's got a very big engine.
"He'll have to jump a bit slicker for a Champion Hurdle, but that can be worked out at home. He's definitely going the right way."
Ricci added: "Certainly with that performance the Champion Hurdle has to be in our plans.
"We'll have a chat, but I wouldn't mind keeping him on the go a little bit. He's lightly-raced. He's a Listed winner on the Flat in France and he'd be a lot of fun on the Flat."
Elliott said of Fil Dor and Pied Piper: "Both horses ran very well. We found it hard to split them at home and there was only a head between them at the line.
"The winner was very good and he beat us fair and square, we've no excuses. Both horses jumped and travelled, they had the run of the race they just got beat by a better horse on the day.
"They are two nice horses. Pied Piper could be a horse for Ascot on the Flat, we bought him with that in mind. Fil Dor could jump a fence.
"I'm very proud of both, they both got great rides. We are hitting the bar a lot, but we've two on the board so I'm not going to complain."
Mullins and Townend quickly doubled up with State Man's comfortable victory in the Grade Three McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle.
Seeming a Grade One performer running in a handicap, the 11-4 favourite came through to lead coming to the last fence and powered away to a length-and-a-quarter victory over the fast-finishing First Street (16-1).
Colonel Mustard (13-2) was a further length-and-three-quarters away in third, West Cork (13-2) fourth two-and-a-quarter-lengths back and Ballyadam (50-1) was fifth.
Mullins' five-year-old, who fell in a maiden hurdle at Christmas and gained his first success in a Limerick maiden last month, scored again.
The victory all but sealed the leading trainer and leading jockey titles for the week for Mullins and Townend, who were landing their seventh and fifth successes respectively.
Mullins said: "He did well to win and I hope he can brush up his jumping.
"I could see him [Paul Townend] coming down the hill - he had so much horse - trying to pick the right one to follow through, and he picked the right one, came through and got the outside rail, and things, when you are riding with confidence, things just fall into place for you, and that’s where Paul is at the moment.
“It’s the same with Paul every year - when things get bad, he gets better. That’s just the nature of sport, and racing, but he just fights back.
“This horse could easily have gone to the Supreme Novices’, and we’ll go back Graded race hurdling probably after this. Perhaps we’ll go for the top level at Punchestown.
"He's a horse for the Flat, and while maybe not this season certainly next. Now I am thinking the Grade One at Punchestown as the next step.
"He's a lovely horse with a lot of ability that will do both jobs.
“We are delighted - any day you have a winner at Cheltenham is great, and to have a double is just fantastic. Fingers crossed things stay right.”
Jockey Townend added: “He is a good horse. He was keen enough throughout the race. I elected to go a little wider for a clear run on him. He must be a good horse to overcome his inexperience in a big handicap like that.
“He travelled through the race really well and we hoped he would travel through the race that well but when you come here it is all about what you find up the hill. He should have plenty more to come as he is a very nice horse.”
The Nice Guy (18-1) led home a one-two for trainer Willie Mullins with victory in the Grade One Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Registered As The Spa Novices’ Hurdle).
It was also a treble for the County Carlow trainer after earlier victories by Vauban and The State Man. But this time one of his outsiders, under Sean O'Keeffe, came home five lengths ahead of stable-mate Minella Cocooner (9-2). Bardenstown Lad (20-1) was a further four-and-a-quarter-lengths back in third.
The big two, 9-4 favourite Hillcrest and Gordon Elliott's Ginto (5-2), were both pulled up with the latter going wrong badly and sadly having to be put down.
But The Nice Guy travelled well throughout and came through to lead over the final flight and scored comfortably.
It was an eighth winner of the week for Mullins, matching his previous best, an 86th overall.
He said: "What a ride from Sean O’Keeffe. He rode Galopin Des Champs last year for me. He is a very cool rider who is an up and coming rider. I think he is someone who is going to come through the ranks and it is nice to have people coming through but Paul is not going anywhere for a while yet.
“Things didn’t go to plan (for The Nice Guy). I said to him to be on the first six or eight and he just couldn’t go the pace so he dropped him back in and elected to creep his way round. That is the good thing about riders like that they have the confidence to change. He didn’t rush him up because he couldn’t go fast enough. I like a jockey with that sort of confidence.
“The horse shows absolutely nothing at home and I was that close to telling Malcolm to sell him then we said we would give him a run and he won. We said it is too late in the season to go hurdling but we gave him another run and he won his second bumper then we said right we will give him another run over hurdles and now he is here today. He just keeps improving all the time.
“I think he was the outsider of ours as he shows me nothing at home. He is very backward in his work our gallop and we were more than surprised when he won his first race and we were very surprised when he won his second race then we put him over hurdles and we were absolutely surprised.
“Malcolm wanted a Cheltenham runner so we entered but I don’t think anyone in the yard would have thought he would have been one of our Cheltenham winners! He seems to be a different horse on the racetrack.
“Sean for a young man gave him a terrific, cool ride. He totally ignored all the instructions I gave him. Myself and Malcolm wanted the horse ridden up there but Sean knew the horse couldn’t go the early pace but he didn’t force him. Sean is a relaxed rider and he lets the horse do the talking. He was good on Galopin Des Champs last year and now on this one.
"He lets the horse conserve energy and not try to bully stuff into things they don’t want to do and it pays off. He has impressed me riding last season that is why we got him to ride in the Martin Pipe and we have given him some nice rides when Paul couldn’t ride. He is very confident in his ability. He could ride with any of the top jockeys.
“Malcolm got him as he wants a good chaser and, hopefully, he will make a nice novice chaser next year.”
Trainer Mullins went on to land a ninth and winner of the week with Billaway (13-8 favourite) getting up to win the St James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase and Elimay (9-4) doing likewise in the Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase.
