Walsh hoping d'Haguenet on way back Ruby Walsh hopes Mikael d'Haguenet can return to the form he showed as a novice hurdler after he won his second race of the season at Punchestown on Saturday. Willie Mullins' charge appeared destined for great things when winning the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2009 and then followed up at Punchestown. Injury kept him off the track for the best part of 18 months, yet on his return he was about to win first time out over fences in Grade One company when he stumbled after the last. That appeared to knock his confidence as he never looked the same horse thereafter and did not win again until Fairyhouse early last month. He followed up on Saturday, and Walsh told Racing UK: "He's getting back to what he was. That race yesterday only had four runners but the Shark's (John Hanlon) horse (Western Leader) went a serious gallop and never stopped. "Mikael took it off him turning in and idled a bit but I liked the way he picked up from the last. "He's getting back to where he was, he's going in the right direction. "He was an incredible horse as a novice hurdler and I hope he can come back to that."
