On the day when Ruby Walsh announced he was ending a long and successful association with Paul Nicholls, the eight times Irish champion jump jockey teamed up with his other powerful ally Willie Mullins to take the Tipperary Water Hurdle on Call Me Bubbles

The evens favourite dropped to fifth when blundering at the penultimate flight but Walsh, making the long trip west for just this one ride, galvanised the grey for an effort on the outside approaching the straight.

He responded gamely to the pressure from the saddle and pinged the last before going on to beat Dawerann (11/2) by six and a half lengths. Shabra Emperor (33/1) was up with the pace throughout and kept on another two and a half lengths away in third.

Walsh, sporting the familiar Ricci colours, said afterwards, “Making it didn’t suit him in Punchestown last time so I dropped him in today. He was a bit awkward at the second last but he’s getting better at it.”

Additional reporting by Donal Murphy