Racing in shock after death of Willie Mullins’ Cheltenham Festival winner Facile Vega aged seven
RACING is in shock after the death of Willie Mullins’ Cheltenham Festival winner Facile Vega aged just seven.
The son of mighty mare Quevaga won the 2022 Champion Bumper and finished runner-up in the following year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
He was last seen finishing seventh of 11 in this year’s Turners Novices’ Chase having been sent off 5-2 joint-favourite.
Facile Vega, who raced in the red and blue silks of owners Hammer & Trowel Syndicate, was a four-time Grade 1 winner.
He also claimed the Punchestown Champion Bumper before adding the big Christmas Grade 1 Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.
Mullins famously said he awarded one of his favourite horses ‘nearly 11-and-a-half out of ten’ for the brilliant performance that day.
Facile Vega later added the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle to his impressive CV and took to fences reasonably well, winning a beginners’ chase with the likes of future Grade 1 winner Spillane’s Tower trailing behind.
More to follow.
