Faugheen clinches Novice Chase win over Samcro at Limerick

Faugheen produced an impressive finish to see off favourite Samcro in the novice chase showdown at Limerick.

The Willie Mullins-trained 11-year-old has nine Grade One hurdle victories to his name, but this was his first top-level success over fences.

Faugheen (2-1), under winning trainer’s son Patrick, romped away from Gordon Elliott’s fancied Samcro (4-6 fav) to win by 10 lengths.

The Jimmy Mangan-trained Castlebrook was third in the 1m, 3f race.

Despite being about to turn 12, Faugheen has been cut from 16 to 7-1 by Paddy Power for the JLT Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

Faugheen enjoyed himself out in front, but his market rival was never too far away.

Tintangle tried to keep tabs on the big two, but fell five fences from the finish, leaving the market principals to fight it out.

There was little between the pair until the second-last fence, where Samcro was put under pressure but could not respond.

Faugheen jumped the last two obstacles in great style and pulled clear to win.