'HUGE LOSS'
Willie Mullins devastated at death of fragile superstar Ferny Hollow after Cheltenham Festival hero suffers fall at Cork
He was making his comeback after almost a year
WILLIE MULLINS has been left devastated at the death of his beloved Ferny Hollow aged nine - a horse who punters said 'had all the talent in the world'.
Irish trainer Mullins said the horse's shock passing is a 'huge loss' to his Closutton yard.
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Ferny Hollow, a Cheltenham Festival hero but fragile superstar who raced just nine times in all, succumbed to injuries sustained in a fall during Sunday's Hilly Way at Cork.
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Confusingly, when asked about the horse's condition post-race, Mullins said: "I’m told Ferny Hollow is fine and the news back is that he is good and came home."
However, it has now been established that he died 'soon after' his fall, according to the Racing Post.
Mullins told the : "Ferny Hollow was an extremely talented horse on his day and showed a tremendous turn of foot under Paul (Townend, jockey) to win the Champion Bumper.
"Going into the Hilly Way he had won six in a row, and that just goes to show how good he was when he was on song.
"He will be a huge loss to the yard and to Cheveley Park.
"He had loads of ability and the day he beat Bob Olinger at Gowran turned out to be some maiden hurdle.
"They really quickened that day. Unfortunately, he never got back to Cheltenham after winning the Champion Bumper there as he picked up a couple of injuries along the way, but he had been in great form going to Cork and was in the process of running a lovely race.
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"It's an awful shame what has happened as everyone who looked after the horse did a brilliant job."
Ferny Hollow won six of his nine races and hit the big time with his brilliant 2020 Champion Bumper victory.
Sent off 11-1, he saw off 15-8 favourite Appreciate It - who was ridden by Willie's son Patrick - with a blistering turn of foot.
That form was franked to ridiculous levels the following year when Appreciate It won the Supreme by 24 lengths.
Unthinkable at the time, Ferny Hollow never raced at the Festival again.
His next race was at Gowran Park in November 2020 when he beat Bob Olinger in a maiden hurdle.
And he won his next three races, his final victory being last February in a Grade 3 chase at Naas.
That came after a staggering 791 days off the track.
Ferny Hollow was three lengths down and in with a chance when falling two from home in the Grade 2 Hilly Way yesterday.
Ridden by Patrick, he was sent off 7-1 in an eventful race won by former Champion Chase hero Energumene.
Punters were quick to pay tribute to one of the biggest names in jumps racing.
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One wrote: "Ferny Hollow had all the talent in the world, he was special on his day. Rest in peace, champion."
While another comment read: "Devastated. Was so pleased to see him back on the racecourse. That's so sad. RIP Ferny Hollow."
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