Love Me Tender heads Supreme market after Naas win

The four-year-old was a heavily-backed favourite the Ebor on his first start for Willie Mullins at York during the summer and while that gamble ultimately went awry, he justified prohibitive odds with a 20-length demolition job on his hurdling debut at Listowel in September.

He was a 1-2 shot to follow up in the Overlander Fishery Lane Novice Hurdle and while there were a few sloppy mistakes on the way round as Paul Townend did his best to settle his mount at the rear of the four-runner field, his class shone through in the end as he produced one of his better leaps at the final obstacle and quickened clear to win by 15 lengths from Bartholomew.

“It was a good performance without being efficient. He has a lot to improve on with his jumping, I was only happy with one hurdle – the last hurdle,” said Mullins.

“I thought he settled better and he’s learning to race more at jumping pace rather than at Flat pace. It’s a project that will have to improve, but he’s coming the right way.”

Love Me Tender is the 10-1 favourite (from 14-1) with Coral for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and Mullins has no doubt he possesses the required ability to make his mark at the highest level if he can improve in the jumping department.

He added: “He looks to have a serious engine and I’ve never opened the throttle, Paul hasn’t either.

“It’s no good having an engine if you can’t jump, he has to learn. He has a good bit of learning to do in that department.

“We’ll look at the Royal Bond (at Fairyhouse) but waiting for Christmas might be better, it just gives more time for us to get through to him about his jumping.”