Henderson sympathy for Mullins and Ricci after tough week Nicky Henderson sent a consoling text message to both Willie Mullins and owner Rich Ricci after Faugheen was pulled up on Friday. Henderson trains the current champion hurdler Buveur D'Air and it had looked as if the pair were set for a pulsating clash in March. Faugheen's disappointing run coincided with the Mullins-trained Min losing a Grade One in the stewards' room, the fatal fall of Nichols Canyon and Yorkhill and Djakadam both being well beaten in an eventful week for the yard at Leoparstown. "They've got to get there (Cheltenham). Willie is having a nightmare, we've had a good few days and it just goes like that. The horses, luckily, are running great at the moment, miles better than they were six weeks ago. There is a huge difference in them," said Henderson. "Funny horses are winning funny races like that one (Brave Eagle, at Newbury). When things are going right that happens, when they are not going right, it doesn't happen. It is the way it goes. "When it is right, any clown can do this, but when it is wrong the clown jumps off the cliff and us guys have to pull it together and that is the hard work. "We've got to hang on to these horses until March and that is when the hard work comes in. Willie has got two or three months to get them back. I feel sorry for him. I sent him a text last night and Rich as well, as it is tough and we all know what it is like. "I know what it is like when you are going through that patch. There is nothing you can do except hold the ship on steady keel and sail it on into the wind. I feel desperate for them. "I mean, we all wanted to see the Faugheen/Buveur D'Air clash. It has rather taken the edge off it to the point where Buveur D'Air can't be beaten, but of course he can be beaten. We've got all sorts of things to go through yet and Faugheen could easily come back. "I wouldn't wish that on anybody, even if it makes Buveur D'Air's task look easier. I sent a text to Rich saying we thought we were going to have the Conga in the Cotswolds. We thought we were going to have that, but we could still. "I certainly do think Yorkhill could be the one. He is a talented horse and he ran a very good race for a very long way. He is hugely talented."
