Weather permitting, horse racing fans will be setting their alarms for 2:25pm on Sunday as the exciting Willie Mullins-trained Salvator Mundi is expected to make his return to the track in the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.
Salvator Mundi To Make Long-Awaited Return In The Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown
Cheltenham Festival ante-post backers have been tucking into Salvator Mundi for the opening race of the 2025 meeting – the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – making him the market leader without even racing yet this season.
This exciting 5 year-old was last seen winning by a staggering 62 lengths at Tipperary last May.
A success that came two months after he finished sixth to stablemate Majborough in the Triumph Hurdle at the Festival. (Watch below).
The horse had been an expected runner over the Christmas period, but Mullins and his popular owner Mrs J Donnelly decided against a festive return and with this Sunday’s Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle earmarked for his first run of the season.
The Donnelly camp also have plenty to look forward at the Festival with their current Champion Hurdler State Man and also Sir Gino, who heads the Arkle Novices’ Chase market.
Salvator Mundi Tops Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Market
Salvator Mundi is already the market leader for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle with the best horse racing betting sites in the UK and you feel a win on Sunday will see punters wade in again on this lightly-raced Willie Mullins hurdler.
The Irish have also won eight of the last 12 runnings of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – with Mullins being responsible for five of those.
At Punchestown on Sunday, Mullins could also run Kel Histoire and Ballygunner Castle, who both won well in their last races, and would certainly provide a much harder test to Salvator Mundi than his rivals at Tipperary last May.
Seven Of The Last Ten Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle Favourites Have Won
Those that are siding with Salvator Mundi, who is set to go off favourite with the best betting sites in the UK, will also be pleased to hear that the market leaders in the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle have a good record.
They’ve won 70% of the last 10 runnings – including the last three, who were all housed with Mullins too.
Jockey Paul Townend Needs One More Winner In The Race To Overtake Ruby Walsh
Retired jockey Ruby Walsh and the current Willie Mullins number one rider Paul Townend are both locked on four wins in the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle.
Therefore, a win for Townend, who is expected to ride Salvator Mundi, will see him be the winning-most rider in the race on his own.
Townend’s last winner in the race came on Impaire Et Passe in 2023, while Ruby Walsh’s last success was on Min in 2016.
Mark Walsh also has three wins in the race and if entered he’ll have a big chance of adding to that with Kel Histoire.
Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle 2024 Details
📅Date: Sunday 12th January 2025
⌚Time: 2:25pm
🏇Racecourse: Punchestown
🔄Trip: 2m 1/2f
💷Winning Purse: €22,125
📺 TV: Racing TV
Willie Mullins Has Won The Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle TEN Times
As already mentioned, Willie Mullins has won the last three Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdles. But overall his record is amazing – with seven more successes in this horse racing contest.
Meaning the Closutton handler has racked up ten wins in this Punchestown race – with his first Mikael D’Haguenet in 2009 and his most recent Mystical Power in 2024.
Willie Mullins Winners
- Mikael D’Haguenet (2009)
- Gagewell Flyer (2011)
- Mozoltov (2013)
- Vautour (2014)
- Douvan (2015)
- Min (2016)
- Getabird (2018)
- Dysart Dynamo (2022)
- Impaire Et Passe (2023)
- Mystical Power (2024)
Past Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle Winners (Last 10 Years)
- 2024 – Mystical Power 5/4 fav
- 2023 – Impaire Et Passe 1/3 fav
- 2022 – Dysart Dynamo 4/9 fav
- 2021 – Dreal Deal 22/1
- 2019 – Felix Desjy 11/4
- 2018 – Getabird Evs Fav
- 2017 – Any Second Now 6/1
- 2016 – Min 1/7 fav
- 2015 – Douvan 1/3 fav
