Gordon Elliott's Felix Desjy was one of the most popular horse racing naps on Sunday and hewas a hugely impressive winner of the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday afternoon, and the Irish raider is set to line up in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on March 12.
Backed into 11/4 before the off, Sean Flanagan sent the six-year-old to the front and he never saw a rival all race, as he pulled clear in the closing stages and eventually went on to beat the Jessica Harrington-trained Jetez by five lengths.
The bookmakers were quick to slash Felix Desjy for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, which will be the race that opens up the Cheltenham Festival in a couple of months and Elliott's charge is now as short as 16/1 to bag glory on the first day of the four-day National Hunt extravaganza.
Elliott's main training rival Willie Mullins saddled a duo in the race, but Harrie and favourite Buildmeupbuttercup were unable to live with the winner, who shaped like there could be a lot more to come over hurdles this season, and Felix Desjy will certainly be one of the premier challengers for the Supreme in a several weeks time.
Angels Breath and Elixir De Nutz are still heading the ante-post betting for a race that sees the stars of the future do battle over timber, but Felix Desjy has now propelled into the reckoning for the 2m Grade 1 contest that will be one of the highlights on day one of the Festival alongside the likes of the Champion Hurdle and the Arkle Challenge Trophy.
Watch Felix Desjy win the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle here:
Results ➡
