VOLER LA Vedette’s maiden Grade 1 victory prevented a unique Ruby Walsh hat-trick at Fairyhouse yesterday and threatened Andrew Lynch’s inclusion in Walsh’s Christmas card list.

Twenty four hours after Lynch on Sizing Europe beat Walsh into second place in Sandown’s Tingle Creek Chase, he prevented the former champion jockey from completing a Grade One whitewash yesterday when steering Voler La Vedette to success in the Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle.

Walsh must have thought he was all set to break his Hatton’s Grace hoodoo when getting the leg up on the favourite Mourad after impressive wins on Sous Les Cieux in the Royal Bond and Bog Warrior in the Drinmore Chase.

But even with just three to beat in the €80,000 “Premier Jump Racing Weekend” feature, Mourad never looked completely comfortable and had no answer to Voler La Vedette as she swept past between the last two flights.

The sole mare in the race went on to win by almost four lengths and secure a hugely valuable Grade One bracket for when she eventually retires to the paddocks.

Voler La Vedette’s racing career looked to be finished earlier in the year but a date with the star stallion Presenting failed to get her in foal.

A return date within the next few months could still be in the offing although Colm Murphy wouldn’t mind a similar result.

“I hope she never goes in foal!” joked the Co Wexford trainer. “She has been a different mare this season, physically better and much easier to train. She is also settling so much better and Andrew knows her so well.

“She certainly deserves that Grade One and has been knocking on the door for some time,” added Murphy.

Mourad struggled on for second, a head in front of The Real Article, but his defeat prevented Walsh from becoming the first jockey to win all three Grade One races in the 17-year history of the meeting. Nine other riders have won two of the three.

Mourad could get the opportunity for revenge on Voler La Vedette in the three-mile race at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival but Murphy hasn’t ruled out a return to the minimum trip for his latest Grade One winner.

“If it came up very soft at Leopardstown she could run in the two-miler. She’s also in the Tara Hurdle but she would have a Grade One penalty in that now,” he said.

It is, however, a penalty that Murphy is delighted to cope with.