It was hardly surprising to see Blow By Blow (a 4/7 shot here) shorten in the ante-post lists for Cheltenham after a more than solid start over fences in the W.B. Gavin & Co. Irish EBF Beginners Chase at Galway.

By Robin Des Champs out of a Roselier mare, Gigginstown House Stud's Blow By Blow has always had chaser written all over him and jockey Jack Kennedy was impressed with what he got from the big seven-year-old here.

He did jump left at times but it was always assured from the graded bumper and hurdle performer and from the front he put this extended two and three quarter miler to bed from the back of the last.

Blow By Blow ended up with seventeen lengths in hand over Touch Base

For Kennedy this was a first chase winner at Galway, yesterday he had his first hurdle winner at Ballybrit in the opener.

On Gordon Elliott's charge Kennedy said: "He is a cut above them and he'd be better in a better race with something to take him on.

"He jumped well and he knows what he is at and is very clever. Ideally you'd like if you had something upsides him and he couldn't have done much more there. He stays well and can only get better."

Paddy Power go 20/1 from 25/1 about Blow By Blow for the JLT, the RSA, and the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

(TW & EM)