Arbre De Vie delights Mullins in Galway

Willie Mullins saddled his 11th winner of Galway Festival week as Arbre De Vie overturned stablemate Shaneshill in the extended two mile six chase.

Arbre De Vie joined Shaneshill after the last and was going much the better on the uphill run for home.

He found more for Paul Townend to win by six lengths at 9/4. Shaneshill was the 4/9 favourite.

Shaneshill had finished second in the Galway Plate on Wednesday to Arbre De Vie's sixth.

Ruby Walsh survived a bad blunder by front-running Shaneshill five out.

Willie Mullins said: "That's a nice race for Arbre De Vie to open his account over fences. He will probably go down the novice route and I'd imagine that Shaneshill will go for the Kerry National.

"Ruby did very well to stay on board and it was a fair performance by rider and the horse not to fall. He was probably a shade unlucky not to win.

"We have had a great week. The Galway Hurdle was a bit disappointing and we went close in the Plate. Riven Light was a bit unlucky but I think we have had the rub of the green all week so we can't complain."

This gave Mullins a double as Ben Button won race two on the card.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee