FAUGHEEN is back. Indeed it is almost as if he had never been away!
But away he had been – for 665 days to be precise. When Faugheen last raced, we were five months before the Brexit vote and a year before Donald Trump moved into the White House. Much has changed in the meantime, then, but not the ability of the 2015 Champion Hurdler it would seem.
That may seem a bold assertion to make about a horse who beat just three rivals in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown last Sunday, but it is possible to make it thanks to the evidence of the clock. Time analysis has more worth in some contexts than in others, but nowhere is it more useful than in providing a universal benchmark when there are few guides to the merit of a performance otherwise.
The facts are that Faugheen won the Morgiana in an overall time 7.7s (around half a furlong) faster than 136-rated Top Othe Ra took to win a useful handicap hurdle earlier on the card. Most of that difference came early in the race, but Faugheen still managed to be quicker in all closing sectionals with the exception of the run-in, by when he was coasting.
Faugheen’s time measures up very well against other races over hurdles on the card, as well as with those on the previous day (which started on the inner course but are thereafter comparable).
All the stopwatch signs are that his 16-length thrashing of the 2014 Champion Hurdler Jezki – not the force he once was, but still capable – with Campeador a dozen or so lengths behind that one when coming down at the last, was out of the top drawer.
I have a 169 timefigure for Faugheen on this effort, which is one higher than achieved by Buveur D’Air in winning the Champion Hurdle earlier this year and makes Faugheen the quickest performer to be seen over hurdles or fences so far this season. It really does look that good.
Where the future is concerned, there has to be some caution regarding a horse with Faugheen’s training history who will be a 10-year-old next March. Only Hatton’s Grace in 1950 and Sea Pigeon in 1980 have won the Champion Hurdle at such an advanced age (and both followed up as 11-year-olds).
But Faugheen is still very good – Champion Hurdle-winning good – as this is what the clock says after the weekend. It is great to have him back!