Facile Vega and Patrick Mullins© Photo Healy Racing
Facile Vega rounded off a memorable day for Willie Mullins with an impressive debut win in the Leopardstown bumper to complete a short-priced treble for the Closutton maestro on day one of the Christmas Festival meeting in south County Dublin.
The 10/11 favourite is certainly bred for the job being by Walk In The Park out of the record-breaking mare Quevega, who also carried the red and blue colours of the Hammer And Trowel Syndicate.
Patrick Mullins sent the four-year-old to the front well over half-a-mile from home and he took command over a furlong out to score by a decisive six lengths. Joyeux Machin took the runner-up spot, with Landrake a further 13 lengths adrift in third.
Willie Mullins said, “He’s always shown me that he is decent. He worked well last year and we said we’d put him away until he was more mature.
“He’s a fine big, long-striding horse and Patrick was keen to let him use his stride from early in the race. That worked as they weren’t able to get past him.
“Patrick said when he asked him he went up into another gear. He’s shown me at home that he looks like a racehorse but now he is one on the racetrack. He could have a nice future.
“I’d imagine he’ll take the usual route of the Dublin Racing Festival and then on to the spring Festivals.”
Patrick Mullins said, “He relaxed brilliantly and covered huge ground. He was a quicker horse than I thought he’d be. He’s his mother’s son.
“I was always doing a half-speed and was worried they were going too slow.”
Facile Vega is now 7/2 second favourite (from 8/1) with both Paddy Power and Betfair for the Weatherbys Cheltenham Bumper, with American Mike the 11/4 favourite.
