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Princess Vega Makes Winning Debut

Quevega is a Cheltenham legend, with the mare having famously won six consecutive Mares’ Hurdle races at the Cheltenham Festival and it could be that she’s setting her first foal on a path to a similar amount of glory.

Princess Vega made her first outing at Tramore on Tuesday and she’s owned by the Hammer and Trowel Syndicate who saw their charge oblige as the 5/4 favourite in the race, with trainer Willie Mullins cutting a delighted figure at the course.

It was Mullins who saddled Quevega to those six Festival victories between 2009-2014, with the horse regularly obliging on Day One of the meeting and the trainer admitted he was buzzing after a performance from a mare who could have a big future.

Mullins said: "I got a big thrill out of that. She was as green as grass and didn't know what was happening for the first mile and a half. She only got into a racing rhythm over the last half-mile.

"I thought she might fall out over the last, but she threw in a jump that even Paul wasn't expecting. That shows she had a bit more left in the tank than we thought."

"I'm delighted to get Quevega's breeding career off to a 100 per cent start," Mullins added.

"A lot of the old crew (from the Hammer And Trowel Syndicate) are back here again today, and it's lovely that she went out and won on her first run.

"She was improving with every bit of work at home. The French breeder of Quevega told me they only get better with age, and we saw that with Quevega. Hopefully this filly can be the same.

"She is not the biggest in the world, so she might be a bit limited. She showed there with her jump at the last that she is stronger than she looks. We will continue during the summer with her."

The champion jockey Paul Townend was on board and gave Princess Vega a strong ride, with the horse likely to come on for the race and it wouldn’t be a big surprise to see her appear in a Mares Novices’ Hurdle race at the Cheltenham Festival in 2020.

Princess Vega is likely to go off at a shorter price next time she takes to the racecourse, with Mullins likely to ensure that this young mare is now set on a path to further success.