Death of 'extremely talented' Cheltenham Festival winner Ferny Hollow following fall in Hilly Way Chase

Cheltenham Festival winner Ferny Hollow has died following a fall on his comeback in the Hilly Way Chase won by stablemate Energumene at Cork on Sunday.

The winner of the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in 2020, Ferny Hollow's public appearances were few and far between over the last three years, but he beat Bob Olinger at Gowran Park on his only outing over hurdles, and was also a Grade 1 winner over fences having landed the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown's Christmas festival in 2021. 

The Cheveley Park Stud-owned nine-year-old was sent off 7-1 for Sunday's Hilly Way Chase and was still in contention, just three lengths down, when parting company with Patrick Mullins at the second-last fence. He sadly passed away from the injuries suffered soon afterwards. 

Willie Mullins paid tribute to Ferny Follow by hailing him a horse of huge ability, and stressed he will be very hard to replace at Closutton. 

The trainer said: "Ferny Hollow was an extremely talented horse on his day and showed a tremendous turn of foot under Paul to win the Champion Bumper. Going into the Hilly Way he had won six in a row, and that just goes to show how good he was when he was on song. He will be a huge loss to the yard and to Cheveley Park."

Mullins added: "He had loads of ability and the day he beat Bob Olinger at Gowran turned out to be some maiden hurdle. They really quickened that day. Unfortunately, he never got back to Cheltenham after winning the Champion Bumper there as he picked up a couple of injuries along the way, but he had been in great form going to Cork and was in the process of running a lovely race. 

"It's an awful shame what has happened as everyone who looked after the horse did a brilliant job."

Ferny Hollow won six of his nine outings and had never finished out of the first two before the Hilly Way. He won more than €150,000 in prize-money, but never really got the chance to fulfil his potential due to injuries.