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Casey confident Faugheen will stay on strongly
Faugheen
© Healy Racing Photos
David Casey, now assistant to Willie Mullins after many years as a top jumps rider, feels Faugheen has every chance in the Sun Racing Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham next week.
The 2015 Champion Hurdle hero has not been in competitive action since taking a nasty fall at Leopardstown in December, but has been pleasing connections at home.
He showed the three-mile trip was not issue when taking the scalp of 2018 Stayers’ winner and stablemate Penhill over three miles at Punchestown in April.
“He shows plenty of ability at home and doesn’t show his age,” said Casey, speaking at a Festival preview night at the Europa Hotel, Belfast on Monday.
“Ruby (Walsh) has been riding him in bits of his work.
“He has a brilliant record around Cheltenham and showed he stays in Punchestown when he beat last year’s Stayers’ Hurdle winner.
“I think he will take a good bit of beating.”
Casey reported Laurina, the Mullins hope for the Champion Hurdle this year, to be in fine shape, though he thinks the unbeaten mare is not value in the betting market.
“She does everything right at home and we think she is very good,” he said.
“She worked very well the other morning.
“She won a weak mares’ hurdle renewal (at Cheltenham last year) and I think she’s a bad price based on what she has done compared to Apples Jade and Buveur D’Air.”
The Closutton yard have a serious second string to their bow in Sharjah, who has won Grade One prizes on his last two starts.
“Sharjah will definitely run (in the Champion Hurdle) and I can see him getting involved dropped in off a strong pace,” said Casey.
He revealed Carefully Selected, who has yet to run over the smaller obstacles, is unlikely to line up for the Albert Bartlett.
“We have been waiting for soft ground for him and the owner will rather go to Punchestown with him,” said Casey.
Runner-up in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham last March, the seven-year-old was last seen since finishing third in the Irish equivalent at the Punchestown Festival in April.
