Mystical Energy completed with a flourish to reverse Cheltenham Pageant kind with Slade Metal within the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.
Henry de Bromhead’s Slade Metal had proved too sturdy for the Willie Mullins-trained Mystical Energy within the latter levels of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in mid-March, since when the latter had gone one higher in Grade One firm at Aintree.
There was little to decide on between the pair within the betting for the rematch on dwelling soil, however Mystical Energy was the slim favorite at 2/1 and in the end took his revenge.
The prolonged two-mile contest was run at a powerful gallop from flag-fall because of the Danny Mullins-ridden Ile Atlantique, however the race modified complexion rapidly racing down the again straight, as each he and nearest pursuer Tullyhill back-peddled quickly.
Slade Metal arrived on the scene seemingly travelling greatest rounding the ultimate bend, however he discovered disappointingly little for Rachael Blackmore as soon as coming below strain, whereas Mystical Energy – a son of Galileo out of the good racemare Annie Energy – powered dwelling from additional again within the fingers of Mark Walsh to attain by a size and three-quarters.
Firefox, third within the Supreme and runner-up to Mystical Energy at Aintree, ran one other effective race in defeat to separate the market principals in second.
“He confirmed resilience and toughness in the present day, he is been enhancing all season,” Mullins stated of the winner. “I did not assume we had a lot likelihood on the second-last and Mark stated he was going as quick as he may coming across the final bend.
“The race changed into a staying race, with the opposite two protagonists enjoying their playing cards going to the final, they had been flat out and he simply outstayed them with a superb bounce on the final.
“It is implausible that he is progressed because the season has gone on and I believe Annie Energy is popping out in him.”
When requested if Mystical Energy would have a Champion Hurdle marketing campaign subsequent season, he added: “There’s a whole lot of pondering to do between every now and then however you’d actually have to take a look at that. I do not assume he’ll go novice chasing, as he seems to be extra of a hurdler than a chaser.
“He may simply step up in journey watching that efficiency in the present day. Mark stated he discovered it powerful with the quantity of velocity that was within the early a part of the race.
“It appeared an actual staying race there in the present day, which might imply that he is a two-and-a-half-mile hurdler and they’re the type of horses you most likely must win a Champion Hurdle, so possibly it is all pointing in that path.”