WILLIE MULLINS has had his fair share of Cheltenham triumph….and heartache.
But the Irish maestro reckons he's more excited than ever before about one of his current crop of stable stars.
Facile Vega is unbeaten after four starts with his latest success coming back in April in the Punchestown festival.
That followed his win in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham the month previously.
So it is little wonder that he is well fancied to come out on top in one of the meeting's big races again in a few months time.
The issue punters have just now is guessing which race he will show up in.
Mullins reckons the five-year-old has the speed to be a Supreme Novices' Hurdle horse to kickstart the Festival.
But the horse has a stamina-laden pedigree, so Mullins is also considering the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle over the longer trip of 2m5f.
Unsurprisingly, Facile Vega is the antepost favourite for both, currently 2/1 and 4/1, respectively.
The latest words from Mullins will only shorten those prices, despite the guesswork involved.
Speaking on Facile Vega and his chances in the spring, he told At The Races: "Over the years I haven’t seen a horse I am looking forward to as much as Facile Vega.
"With the turn of foot he showed in bumpers, he would be a Supreme horse. With his pedigree, he would be a Ballymore horse."
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