Gordon Elliott’s Found A Fifty, sired by Heversham Park’s deceased sire, Solsksjaer, shocked Willie Mullins’ Facile Vega in the Racing Post Novice Chase on day one of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival.
Facile Vega was a 1-2 favourite to maintain his expected progression towards the Arkle Chase at Cheltenham in March.
Jack Kennedy’s mount was a 16-5 winner ahead of 12-1 shot My Mate Mozzie.
There was a length and a half between the first two, with Mullins’ second hopeful, veteran Sharjah, a further two lengths back in third as Facile Vega was well adrift after jockey Patrick Mullins had accepted defeat in the closing furlong.
Only four went to post in the final running of the Grade One, with next year’s festival programme being revamped.
Few expected Facile Vega to be unduly troubled even though it was only his second outing over fences following a victory at Navan last month but he was comprehensively beaten on a day when trainer Mullins endured a rare Leopardstown Christmas Festival blank.
Read about Heversham Park’s association with Solskjaer.