Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle on the cards for Faugheen as top notcher steps back up to three miles
The former Champion Hurdle winner will take a hike in distance after finishing a disappointing second in the Morgiana
WILLIE MULLINS has revealed star stayer Faugheen will revert to three miles after getting tapped for toe in the Morgiana last month.
The trainer believes his ten-year-old will be a different proposition under more suitable conditions.
The former Champion Hurdle winner was sent off at odds-on for that Grade 1 contest, but stablemate and fellow Rich Ricci inmate Sharjah easily took his scalp.
As a result, connections have now decided to step him back up in trip with immediate effect, with the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown his next port of call.
The Mullins machine was a sensational winner the last time he tackled three miles, in the Champion Stayers' at the Punchestown Festival, and will bid to maintain his unbeaten record over the distance in the Grade 1 event on December 28.
Mullins told At The Races: "He was disappointing in the Morgiana Hurdle, but all those hurdles that were taken out made it a funny race.
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"Hopefully he'll get back to his better form.
"He probably needs a longer trip and I'd imagine that's what we'll do at Christmas."
Mullins also had news on Kemboy, whose trip across the Irish Sea for the Ladbrokes Trophy was curtailed by bad weather.
He said: "Carrying top-weight around Newbury would have been a tough assignment. It's disappointing to miss it, but that's all it is.
"I think he's improved a fair bit and I think he deserves to have a crack at graded races.
"I'm not too worried. Hopefully he can improve more for better races."