Mullins: Pace of race will suit Faugheen

Faugheen is the latest Willie Mullins-trained youngster to put his huge reputation on the line in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham today.

Ireland’s champion trainer has won the Grade One prize with Fiveforthree (2008) and Mikael D’Haguenet (2009) in recent years, with the latter considered one of the Irish bankers at that year’s Festival.

However, So Young let down favourite backers when third in 2011 and last year the heavily-supported Pont Alexandre could only pick up minor honours behind The New One and Rule The World.