Mick Jazz was a shock winner of the Ryanair Hurdle as favourite Faugheen suffered just the second defeat of his career after being pulled up at Leopardstown.
Having looked as good as ever when making a successful return from a near two-year absence in last month’s Morgiana Hurdle, the 2015 Champion Hurdle hero was unsurprisingly a warm order to stretch his Grade One tally to nine as the 2-11 favourite.
The Willie Mullins-trained superstar soon adopted his customary pacesetting role, but it was clear heading out onto the second circuit it might not be as straightforward as many expected, with his stablemate Cilaos Emery taking over the lead.
The nine-year-old dropped to the rear of the five-runner field on the run to the second-last flight and Paul Townend swiftly took him out of the race.
His shock exit left Cilaos Emery in front ahead of the Gordon Elliott-trained Mick Jazz (14-1) and it was the latter who found most from the final flight to claim a surprise victory under Davy Russell.
Russell said: “I was expecting a big run from Mick Jazz because he ran such a lovely race in Fairyhouse (fifth in Hatton’s Grace Hurdle) when he didn’t stay after I travelled well into the straight.
“I couldn’t believe Paul (Townend) just wasn’t travelling with the same zest down the back and then this lad jumped on the bridle.
“He had to be tough to pass Cilaos Emery but, to be fair, he landed at the back of the last and he just wanted it a bit more.
“He’s a tough horse.”
Elliott said: “Obviously Faugheen looked to be a certainty, but there is no such thing as a certainty in horseracing. I just hope he’s OK.
“It was Mick Jazz’s day. We went to Cheltenham last year and George Mahoney, who owns a half share with me, flew over from America with all his family for the County Hurdle and he was lame on the morning of the race.
“Today was his day in the sun. The plan was to go to America next year for all those jump races, but we’ll enjoy today and see what happens.
“He’ll have to have an entry now in the Champion Hurdle because you never know, but we’ll enjoy today first.”
He added: “There was no race to run him in, this was the only race we could really run in and we were running for prize-money.
“It just goes to show if you’re not in these races, you can’t win them. Today was our day and we’re delighted. He’s not a bad horse.
“I was sneaking away thinking we’d be second. Then we see Faugheen coming out and I had three in it, but Willie still had one in front of me!
“It’s our day today and we’re delighted.”
Faugheen’s owner, Rich Ricci, said: “Paul said he pulled him up because he just wasn’t firing.
“He seems to be sound. When he cools down maybe we’ll find out something.
“He’s in the horse ambulance going back to the yard, but he’s not distressed or anything. Paul just pulled him up because he wasn’t going anywhere.
“When Cilaos Emery went by him, normally he would have picked up the bit and cracked on, but he just didn’t. I knew we were toast then.
“Some of Willie’s horses have been in and out all week. Hopefully it’s something that shows itself and we have a horse we can get ready for Cheltenham and fight another day with.
“There doesn’t appear to be any injury, so that’s something anyway, but it’s very disappointing.”
It has been a tough week for both Mullins and his leading owner.
The Ricci-owned odds-on favourite Min passed the post in front in Wednesday’s Grade One Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase, only to lose the race in the stewards’ room, while on the same afternoon Sharjah crashed out at the final flight when looking the likely winner of the Future Champions Novice Hurdle.
Dual Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Djakadam was pulled up in the Christmas Chase on Thursday and while Let’s Dance provided the owner with some joy with a Grade Three success earlier on Friday’s card, he was brought back down to earth by Faugheen’s listless effort.
He added: “Hopefully Faugheen isn’t injured. The racing stuff is what it is, but it’s the injuries that kill you.
“It’s been an extraordinarily challenging week, but that’s topped it.
“It feels like a long, long winter at the moment.”
Shattered Love led home Jury Duty to provide Gordon Elliott with a one-two in the Neville Hotels Novice Chase.
A field of eight runners went to post for the three-mile Grade One contest, with the Henry de Bromhead-trained Monalee the even-money favourite to keep his unbeaten record over fences intact.
Shattered Love, a 10-1 shot in the hands of Mark Walsh, was always well to the fore and had just taken over the lead when Monalee suffered a crashing fall in the back straight, bringing down Rathvinden and also badly hampering Dinaria Des Obeaux.
That dramatic incident left Shattered Love clear of Thebarrowman, Jury Duty and Bon Papa and in the end it was the stablemates who fought out the finish.
Jury Duty did his best to bridge the gap in the straight, but in receipt of 7lb, Shattered Love did not yield and kept up the gallop to claim top honours.
Let's Dance successfully defended her crown with a battling performance in the Willis Towers Watson Irish EBF Mares Hurdle.
The Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old secured this Grade Three prize 12 months ago before going on to to claim Cheltenham Festival glory in the Trull House Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle in March.
She left Ruby Walsh with a broken leg when falling on her return to action at Punchestown last month, but was the even-money favourite to bounce back in the hands of Paul Townend.
It was not easy viewing for her supporters, with Let’s Dance initially appearing reluctant to jump off and she did not travel with much zest for the first half of the two-and-a-half-mile contest.
However, she moved into contention before the home turn and galloped all the way to the line in the straight to score by eight lengths.
The front-running Forge Meadow was a clear second and Dawn Shadow finished strongly to deny British challenger Lady Buttons third place.
In the first race of the day Shane Crimin steered Spider Web to a clear-cut victory in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Chase.
The Tom Mullins-trained six-year-old had been largely disappointing of late, but was dangerously well handicapped on his hurdle form and was sent off a well-backed 13-2 joint-favourite for the opening contest on the fourth and final day of the Christmas Festival.
Carrying the colours of JP McManus, Spider Web made his move in the back straight and hit the front rounding the home turn.
With the final fence bypassed, several horses attempted to reel him in, but Crimin’s mount found plenty for pressure and passed the post seven and a half lengths ahead of Bilko.
Dicey O'Reilly was a surprise winner of the Pigsback.com Maiden Hurdle.
Ballyward, not seen since winning a bumper at this meeting a year ago, was the 6-4 favourite to make a successful hurdling debut for Willie Mullins, while Jessica Harrington’s Someday and the Joseph O’Brien-trained Mortal were also prominent in the market.
Having finished a well-beaten fourth on his hurdling bow at Cork, Henry de Bromhead’s Dicey O’Reilly was a largely unconsidered 18-1 shot in the hands of 5lb claimer Dylan Robinson, but was always prominent and came home best in the straight to score by three and a half lengths.
Mortal filled the runner-up spot ahead of Someday and Ballyward in third and fourth respectively.
