Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle
Grade 1, Punchestown 18:05 €94,999 added, 4yo, 2m 4f, Class 1
Friday 1st May 2015

1 Nichols Canyon 4/5F
2 Alpha Des Obeaux 9/2
3 Outlander 13/2
NR: No More Heroes (IRE)
6 ran Distances: 7l, 2¾l, 2¾l
TIME 4m 53.60s (slow by 12.60s)

Nichols Canyon ran out a comfortable winner, galloping his rivals into the ground

Nichols Canyon
© Caroline Norris

Nichols Canyon followed up his impressive win at Aintree in the Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.

With Ruby Walsh on a high after Faugheen's stroll to victory in the Champion Hurdle earlier on the card, he adopted identical tactics, making every yard of the running on Willie Mullins' challenger.

The win was the horse's fourth at the highest level in a stellar campaign, with his only blots coming when he unseated at Leopardstown over Christmas and his reversal at Cheltenham, when waiting tactics were employed.

Alpha Des Obeaux
© Caroline Norris

Alpha Des Obeaux, who was in the process of running a career-best at Aintree when he fell at the last, served it up to him turning into the straight, but Walsh always looked to be saving something.

Sempre Medici, a stablemate of the winner, briefly looked a threat also before fading away, and Nichols Canyon won the race approaching the last, sprinting clear to score by seven lengths.

The win was a fourth of the week for owner Graham Wylie, who had already tasted success with Felix Yonger, Bellshill and Yorkhill.

It also meant Mullins equalled his own record of 13 winners at the Festival.

Walsh said: "He's an iron little horse, that's his seventh run this year and he's won five. He's a stayer, he gallops and jumps and he's got some constitution.

"What can you say about Willie, I've known him for 20 years and consider him a friend, but I think he's a genius."

The winning trainer added: "He's run seven times this season and has been more impressive each time, although he was very impressive the last day.

"To do what he did there puts him in the Champion Hurdle picture. He's won four Grade Ones and I don't know if a novice has won four Grade Ones in a while. It's a fair feat.

"He set out to make the pace. Alpha Des Obeaux set about him four or five furlongs out, but Ruby gave him a squeeze turning for home and he opened up a gap again.

"He was bought as a Flat/hurdle horse and wouldn't have the frame of a chaser. He'll never jump a fence. The size of him I wouldn't fancy sitting on him running down to a fence!"

When asked about tackling Faugheen, Mullins said: "He only has 20lb to improve, but he is a novice."

And on the possibility of a World Hurdle bid, the champion trainer went on: "He's very free and I couldn't see him winning a Stayers' doing what he did there. At the moment we'll go down the two-mile route."

Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)
€94,999 added, 4yo plus, 2m 4f, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Good to Yielding