Willie Mullins hoping Un De Sceaux learned from fall at Thurles

Updated: Friday, 19 Dec 2014 14:50 | Comments Un De Sceaux wins The Star Best for Racing Coverage Novice Hurdle at Punchestown last year

Willie Mullins is keeping his fingers crossed Un De Sceaux can learn to be less extravagant in the jumping department as he bids to get off the mark over fences at the second attempt at Fairyhouse on Saturday.

The free-going six-year-old won each of his seven starts over hurdles, more often than not blowing his rivals away with awesome displays from the front.

He looked set to continue that trend on his chasing debut at Thurles last month, but failed to organise himself on landing after jumping the third fence from the finish and parted company with Ruby Walsh.

Un De Sceaux, second only to esteemed stable companion Vautour in ante-post lists for the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival, will be a long odds-on favourite to put that recent mishap behind him this weekend.

"Everyone likes to see horses stand off fences and clear them by miles and that was what he was doing (at Thurles) until he made a mistake," said Mullins.

"Hopefully it might have taught him something. Horses need to be able to go in short and pop one every now and then, like Vautour did at Navan."

Walsh has schooled Un De Sceaux since his Thurles tumble and reports him to have suffered no ill effects.

"He schooled over eight fences last week and was super. He was unlucky to fall. It was just a novicey fall and he jumped super up until that. His jumping wouldn't be a concern to me at the moment," Walsh told Racing UK.

"He seems in really good form."

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Willie Mullins hoping Un De Sceaux learned from fall at Thurles