THE horse that let down thousands of Cheltenham accas last season made a sensational return to action at Tramore on Tuesday.
Gaelic Warrior - who was backed off the boards for the Boodles Juvenile Hurdle at the Festival but could only finish second - won by an incredible 86 lengths on his comeback.
🐎 Easy pickings for Gaelic Warrior (1-12 fav) and @PTownend in the opening maiden hurdle at @TramoreRaces.
The Willie Mullins-trained four-year-old was having his first race since being pipped a nose in the Boodles at Cheltenham in March. No photo needed here! pic.twitter.com/g8LaUJOqo1
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 6, 2022
He was widely considered one the bankers of the Festival earlier this year, but he was agonisingly denied by a short-head behind the Padraig Roche-trained Brazil.
But Willie Mullins' exciting youngster made no mistake on his reappearance when sent off the 1-12 favourite under Paul Townend.
He jumped well and galloped clear of his rivals with well over a circuit to race, and his jockey barely had to move a muscle in the saddle.
As he coasted over the line the shocked commentator said: "He must be a furlong in front!"
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He was trimmed in the betting for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle by several bookies.
He is now a general 16-1 shot behind the red-hot 5-4 favourite Facile Vega, though William Hill remain the stand out at 25-1.
Some punters were blown away by his performance, while others were disgruntled that his odds for the Festival were cut.
One said: "All he's proved there is that he still has a leg in each corner, yet he still gets shortened in Cheltenham ante post markets."
Another posted: "He has won at the worst track in Ireland. Relax. No way his odds should be cut on the back of that."
But another said: "He is an absolute beast. Unbelievable."
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