Jasmin De Vaux bounces back for more Cheltenham success

Jasmin De Vaux added to last year’s Champion Bumper success when staying on strongly to strike in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Paul Townend gave the six-year-old a patient ride but came through smoothly to take control entering the home straight.

Market leader The Big Westerner threw down a strong challenge at the final flight but 6-1 chance Jasmin De Vaux maintained his advantage on the run-in to prevail by two and a half lengths and give trainer Willie Mullins his fourth win of the day.

Mullins – was equalling his own record of 10 winners for the week – said: “We’ve done a lot of schooling with him and he’s just so unnatural jumping and Paul said he made a mess of the third-last, but he jumped the last two well when we wanted.

“We know he has an engine and it’s just about getting him from A to B, and going that bit slower over a longer trip has made the difference – he might jump his fences better than hurdles next year and we might go novice chasing with him.

“Most of our Champion Bumper winners have been stayers and on his pedigree and class it was worth worth trying the longer race.

“It probably took me by surprise how well he has come through the field and seeing him sat last there, I was wondering could he come from that far back? But Paul gave him a very confident ride and the frame of mind he is in at the moment, he just makes things happen.

“Once he got over the third-last I felt confident and definitely after the second-last I felt it was his to lose, but then again that last flight of hurdles, with probably one of the worst jumpers in racing, I guess there was always something to worry about.

“I thought for half a second when he landed over the last he might have thrown it away, but he did enough up the hill anyway.”

Henry de Bromhead said of the runner-up: “We’re delighted with that, she ran a blinder. She got into a little bit of trouble at the second-last, but ran really well.

“I very much hope she’s a chaser in the making for next season.” Derryhassen Paddy was third for Lucinda Russell, who said: “I was being a bit pathetic coming down the stairs crying, but I love the horse so much.

“He’s just fantastic and I can’t wait for next season with him really when we’ll be going over fences.

“I get very emotional about him and Scu (Peter Scudamore) loves him because as you can see he’s just a great, big, honest horse who shouldn’t really be going hurdling, but he hasn’t done too badly has he?”

“It’s doubtful we’ll run him again this season, I think we’ve got away with it.”