THE Willie Mullins-trained Getabird ran out a hugely impressive winner of the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown on Saturday.

The six-year-old, running in the colours of Susannah Ricci and ridden by the trainer’s son Patrick, hurdled fluently and travelled well throughout the two-mile contest. When main market rival Mengli Khan, trained by Gordon Elliott, came to challenge at the last, Getabird responded readily and scampered clear to win in the style of a very smart horse.

Bookmakers reacted by making the son of Getaway a clear favourite for the Supreme Novice Hurdle, the curtain raiser race to the Cheltenham Festival and a contest that Mullins has won five times in all with three of those wins coming in the last five years.

At a press launch for the Dublin Racing Festival (Leopardstown, February 3rd/4th), held at Mullins’s Closutton base on Monday, the champion trainer revealed Getabird may not run at Leopardstown and instead go straight to Cheltenham.

Mullins did however confirm Faugheen was on track to run in the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle at the DRF. The 10-year-old was hugely disappointing when pulling up in the Ryanair Hurdle at Christmas but with nothing physical coming to light, he looks set for a shot at redemption now.