Salvator Mundi swoops late for Moscow Flyer crown

Salvator Mundi made odds-on backers sweat before eventually coming good in the Sky Bet Club Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.

Runner-up to the top-class Sir Gino on his only start in France, the five-year-old finished sixth in the Triumph Hurdle on his first run for Willie Mullins before making the most of having his sights lowered at Tipperary in the spring.

He was an 8-15 favourite to make a successful return in a Grade Two contest the champion trainer has farmed in recent years, with Mikael D’Haguenet (2009), Vautour (2014), Douvan (2015) and Min (2016) among his 10 previous winners.

Salvator Mundi was keen from the off in the hands of Paul Townend and a mistake at the final flight before straightening up for home put him on the back foot.

The son of No Risk At All had to be ridden along to reel in those in front of him in the straight, but quickened up smartly to grab the lead between the final two flights and passed the post with three lengths in hand over stablemate Kel Histoire, who narrowly beat Relieved Of Duties to second.

Paddy Power make Salvator Mundi their 4-1 favourite from 5-1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, while Coral trimmed his odds to 3-1 from 6-1.

“He was fresh and it was messy, so I would say it was going to be hard to be impressive,” said Townend.

“We know he can jump but he didn’t jump well today because I couldn’t let him. He had to dig in then off the bend on tacky ground in the straight. He had to find plenty, it’s hard to be impressive on that ground but at least he won.

“He’ll have to build on it but I think he will. He has gears and on that ground it’s hard to use gears to the best effect. I’d say a stronger run race on looser ground, wetter ground even, would be a help to him.”

Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father, said: “The engine is massive. After half a mile I thought this horse can’t win on his first run in six months when he’s pulling like that on heavy ground.

“Because he was keen Paul didn’t want to let him jump and he didn’t jump, so he’d every reason to get beaten and still won.

“It looked to me like he took a blow after the second-last and you could see Paul went down and gave him a squeeze and came with a run down to the last. He kept everything tight down to the last and there should be a lot of improvement there.

“I think in a faster run race, being let jump, he’ll improve. Paul couldn’t let him jump today because he would have been even keener and jumping his way to the front. I wouldn’t be worried about his jumping in a stronger run race.

“I think he’s probably had a hard race today and I wouldn’t be surprised if he went straight to Cheltenham.”