Following his victory, Energumene's odds to win a third Champion Chase were slashed by Coral to 5-1 from 8-1, making him a solid contender in the market.
Just a day after Jonbon's impressive victory in the Tingle Creek, Energumene proved he's still at the top of his game with a brilliant return to action in the Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase at Cork, following a 20-month layoff due to injury.
Trained by Willie Mullins, the 9-year-old gelding claimed his third win in this race, a feat he previously achieved in the lead-up to his victories in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Energumene's absence from competitive racing last season marked the longest break of his career, with his last appearance being a win at the Punchestown Festival in spring 2023.
Despite his lengthy time off, Energumene was the 5/4 favourite to complete a Hilly Way hat-trick, and under jockey Paul Townend, he delivered a faultless performance. Energumene jumped smoothly throughout the race, taking the lead early on and never looking in danger.
The only competitor able to mount a challenge was Banbridge, who stayed with Energumene until the final straight. However, Banbridge's chances ended when he unseated jockey Richie Deegan at the last fence. This left Energumene with a comfortable lead, and he crossed the line 10 lengths ahead of his stablemate Dinoblue. Mullins' team dominated the race, with Appreciate It and Blue Lord rounding out a remarkable one-two-three-four finish.
Willie Mullins was delighted with his star's return, saying, "That was a very exuberant display from him. Paul said his horse was just looking for fences to jump and wanted to go a better gallop, so he let him go instead of fighting him. I’m very happy with how he jumped, and he has been doing everything right since he came back in August. Hopefully, he can keep going that way, and it was a nice performance to build on for the season."
Following his victory, Energumene's odds to win a third Champion Chase were slashed by Coral to 5-1 from 8-1, making him a solid contender in the market. Jonbon, who triumphed in the Tingle Creek, remains the 5-2 favourite, with Mullins' other horse, Gaelic Warrior, positioned between the two at 100-30.
Looking ahead, Mullins has not ruled out a potential showdown between Energumene and Jonbon, but he emphasized that decisions would be made based on how Energumene progresses in the coming weeks. "Normally, we skip Christmas with our Hilly Way winners, and we’ve previously targeted the Clarence House Chase," Mullins explained. "We'll see how he comes out of this race before making any final decisions."
Mullins also commented on Jonbon’s strong performance in the Tingle Creek, describing his jumping as "terrific" and adding that the upcoming clashes between the two would be exciting. "It’s there to play for, and we’ll give him competition," Mullins said. "It’s one we’ll all look forward to, and hopefully, we can keep them apart until Cheltenham."
In other news, Mullins provided an update on the talented but injury-prone Ferny Hollow. Though Ferny Hollow fell in the home straight while running a promising race, Mullins confirmed that the horse was fine and would continue to be monitored. "It was nice to get them out and started for the season, and we’ll try to find more opportunities for them," he added.
With Energumene’s triumphant return, Willie Mullins’ stable is already setting the stage for what promises to be another exciting season of top-tier chasing action.
