FACILE VEGA is a massive drifter in one of the Cheltenham Festival markets.
The unbeaten Willie Mullins-trained superstar was matched as low as 3.5 for next March’s Ballymore.
Facile Vega looks all but certain to be heading to the Supreme in March
But now it looks almost nailed on the son of Quevega will run in the Supreme.
Facile Vega was not among the 20 entries for the 2m4f Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas hurdle next month.
That is the same trip as the Ballymore with the Supreme – won last year by Constitution Hill – run over 2m.
Facile Vega went all the way out to 9.0 on the Betfair exchange for the Ballymore, with Grangeclare West the new favourite at 8.2, around 7-1.
Mullins’ Gaelic Warrior, just beaten in the Boodles, is second favourite on 8.8 at the time of writing.
On the Sportsbook, Facile Vega was out to 6-1, another clue about his future target.
Facile Vega has always been at the head of the betting for the 2m Supreme and is strong 5-4 favourite.
Nicky Henderson’s Jet Powered, so impressive on hurdle debut at Newbury, is 7-1 second-favourite.
Mullins said Facile Vega was ‘amazing’ on his seasonal return at Fairyhouse earlier this month when he won a 2m hurdle by 14 lengths.
He told Sporting Life: “We decided to take our chance before Christmas and he was amazing from the start.
“He went down to the first like a handicapper and continued to jump that way the whole way round.
“Paul (Townend) gave him a squeeze and he just took off with him.
“He said he just had to hang on from there to the winning post and he galloped away right through the winning post, which you always like to see a horse doing.
“We don’t know what he beat but the way he beat them was huge, visually.”
