Dewcup just loves it in Punchestown and brought up his third track victory in the Dooley Insurance Group Hurdle.

The well backed 5/4 favourite had the leader Curlew Hill well within striking distance sweeping round the home bend in this extended two mile race.

Curlew Hill came under pressure and was ridden as Dewcup raced past him on the approach to the last flight.

Dewcup was kept up to his work by Mark Walsh to oblige by two and a quarter lengths from Curlew Hill (4/1).

Trainer Ted Walsh said: “He's a nice horse and he's going the right way.

“With Noel's horse (Beacon Edge) out of it, he was probably the best of the horses that had won their maidens.

“I'd say something must have happened to Henry's horse (Fusain), he dropped out of it completely.

“Not to take away from Curlew Hill but you'd expect him to do that if he was going to go to the next step.

“Mark was delighted with the manner he did it in. There will be plenty more questions to be answered from here on in.

“I think he's capable of winning a nice Flat race. We could go to Thurles next week for a maiden but I'd doubt it now after that as it's a bit quick.

“I'd like to get another run into him on the Flat. He ran into a good mare in Bellewstown but she's a 105-rated mare.

“He's a grand sound, honest, horse and a good fella owns him so there is no great pressure. He's after winning four and will win plenty more races.

“What height he''ll reach only God knows. They are about 126 horses and the next step is a 140 horse. Noel's horse was 142 if you had been taking him on.

“He's a good ground horse and we could maybe look at Leopardstown Christmas or Fairyhouse if it was good ground.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson