Nichols Canyon digs deep for Ryanair Chase success
In the absence of Arctic Fire, only four lined up behind the tape but the principal players jumped off in front and thereafter it never threatened to be anything more than a two-horse race. Tactically, however, it was anything but boring.
After a mistake at the first hurdle, Nichols Canyon conceded the advantage to Identity Thief and held that position until Walsh, evidently concerned the race would not be enough of a test, chose to up the tempo as they raced to the fifth-last hurdle, at the halfway point in the two-mile race.
Quickening up sharply, the favourite went long at the flight but landed safely at the back of the hurdle with a three-length advantage over his market rival.
However, the complexion changed once more when Identity Thief loomed large going to the second-last and when the favourite made a mistake, he went on.
Reacting quickly to the possibility that the new leader would take his position on the rails, Walsh rousted Nichols Canyon along and got the response he desired as the diminutive hurdler denied his rival the opportunity to take his ground.
The two went neck and neck down to and over the last, but Nichols Canyon, with stamina to burn, responded tenaciously to the challenge and pulled away late to score by a couple of lengths.
“His battling qualities and jumping remind me of Hurricane Fly,” said Mullins. “To look at him, he’d also remind you of him. He wouldn’t have the same speed, but has the sheer toughness, and he’s certainly in that realm of ability.
“I thought that was him finished when he made a mistake at the second-last, but Ruby maintained his position along the inside, which meant he got a little breather coming around the last bend. And then he got a good enough jump at the last.
“He’s not the biggest horse, but he’s hugely aggressive. A lot of other horses would probably have backed off, but he put down his head. I’d say running in flat races has taught him that. Having been a handicapper on the flat, the experience would be huge in a situation like that.”
Asked if he was surprised it was such hard work for the winner, who remains the only horse to ever finish in front of Champion Hurdler, Faugheen, Mullins added: “I just thought when he made his move down the back, after the fifth-last, he put in a huge jump there and Ruby was very positive on him. I’m just wondering did that empty him.
“Ruby was afraid the pace was backing off but, looking at it, I wasn’t. He decided to make that move but, to me, that might have used up a lot of petrol, although it was easy for me to ride the race from where I was watching.”
Though, arguably, outstayed, Identity Thief emerged with reputation enhanced and, in contrast to the winner, whose odds for the Champion Hurdle lengthened a touch, to 7-1, Henry De Bromhead’s horse was cut to 12-1 (from 25-1) in many places.
“He’s improving all the time, and is certainly on his way to the Champion Hurdle,” said De Bromhead. “He may take in the Irish Champion Hurdle along the way.”
In similar vein to the result of the Lexus 24 hours earlier, however, it was and absent runner who bookmakers felt benefited most from the result.
Faugheen, whose position as an odds-on favourite for the Champion Hurdle had been restored by his impressive victory in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day, hardened to 1-2 with some firms, and is no bigger than 8-11 to retain his crown, in March.
To close another successful meeting for Willie Mullins’ stable, odds-on favourite Lucky Pass relished the ever-more-testing conditions when winning the bumper under Patrick Mullins.
A very smart sort, he completed a double on the day and a seventh victory at the meeting for the Closutton team.
