There was a real sense of deja vu to a Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh double at Naas today when Diakali completed the eerie feat in the Grade 3 Fishery Lane Hurdle.

Champion Trainer Mullins, who witnessed his Simenon finish fourth in last Tuesday's Melbourne Cup, later stated “the home team have obviously been doing their work while I was away!

“He's (Diakali) won over 2m4f and as he gets older, I'd say we'll go up in trip with him. He has a staying pedigree and I was happy with the way he settled today. I was particularly pleased with how slick he jumped because coming back off running over French hurdles, I was expecting him to jump like a chaser.”

Both Mullins and jockey Walsh had earlier combined to win the opening race at Naas with Rupert Lamb That foreign-bred grey gelding was making his seasonal reappearance, having won on his last appearance, and justified odds-on favouritism when making all the running in a four winner race, run over two miles.

Thirty five minutes later the exact same happened with Diakali, who also made all the running in his two miles event. The French bred grey gelding was also making his seasonal reappearance, having won his last race at Autueil, and beat three rivals when justifying 4/6 favouritism!

By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee