THE WILLIE Mullins bandwagon rolled into Naas and the Co Carlow handler left with a treble courtesy of Jayo, Mikael D'Haguenet and Quadrillon.
All three are serious contenders for Cheltenham Festival honours but it was Mikael D'Haguenet, the 1 to 3 winner of the Grade Two Goffs Slaney Hurdle, who created the most striking impression.
Carrying a Grade One penalty the imposing five-year-old brushed aside some useful rivals with an impressive turn of foot after the last under Ruby Walsh.
William Hill shortened him to 6 to 1 from 7s for the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle while Victor Chandler went 5s from 6s.
"He did everything right, they went a very slow pace which I think suited us a bit more than the form horses in the race and we were happy to sit in behind them," said Mullins. "He quickened nicely away from a slow pace and it is pleasing when they can do that.
"It was nice for Ruby to sit on him today so both he and Paul (Townend) know him now because you never know what can happen with injuries.
"Weight-carrying wouldn't be a problem because he is a big, leggy horse so the penalty was no problem.
"We'll tread carefully with regard to Cheltenham because he is nearly 17 hands high. If the ground came up dry I'd have to think hard about it, it's a winter game and I prefer winter ground.
"If he gets his ground he'd go, I'm keen and so are the owners.
"The obvious race (before Cheltenham) is the Deloitte (Leopardstown, February 8th) but I've got Hurricane Fly for that and there are plenty of other options for him later in the season. I wouldn't need to run him again.
"If I can find a nice race in February for him I would run him but I'm lucky enough to have a few nice horses and don't want them clashing just yet."
Walsh was mightily impressed, saying: "I've always liked him - I think he's a machine."
Walsh was also aboard Jayo (6 to 4) who was handed a 16 to 1 quote for the Arkle by William Hill after an effortless success over a below-par Made In Taipan in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Chase. "His jumping was electric, he was like a hurdler going over them today," said Mullins.
"It sort of just fell into his lap a little bit but he did nothing wrong.
"I'm sure he's Arkle-bound after that, he'll possibly run in both the Irish and English Arkles but I'll have to have a look at the timing.
"I don't think the ground really bothers him at all, he'll go on anything."
Mullins was also in the mark in the closing bumper - no surprise there - but the manner of Quadrillon's victory under his son Patrick in the Go Racing (Pro-Am) INH Flat Race was so impressive that he was handed a 10 to 1 quote by Cashmans for the Champion Bumper in March. The same firm now only offer 6 to 4 (from 2 to 1) that Mullins adds to his incredible haul in the Cheltenham race.
Oliver Brady has a live Triumph Hurdle candidate in the former John Oxx-trained Ebadiyan, an impressive winner of the Harry Farrell 50 Yrs On Board Maiden Hurdle, ridden by John Cullen.
n Wolverhampton and the newly-added card at Lingfield fly the flag in Britain today with both Ludlow and Taunton failing to beat the frost. Tomorrow's Sedgefield's card hinges on an 11.30am check this morning.
