Indevan in the game at Punchestown

After getting three short-priced favourites beaten, the bookies were out to get Indevan but this Willie Mullins-trained gelding finally gave punters some cheer at Punchestown in the two and a half mile maiden hurdle.

The five-year-old drifted from 11/10 to 11/8 on course, but once Ruby Walsh sent him about his business before the last flight punters knew they would collect.

The pair were three and three parts of a length too good for The Job Is Right (11/2). It was another five lengths back to 33/1 outsider Aces And Kings who was prominent throughout. Rossvoss nicely backed both this morning and at the track, finished just out of the placings in fourth at 5/1.

“He jumped well and loved that ground. He’ll pursue his career over the summer in novice hurdles,” Willie Mullins said.

“That was two and a half miles, but he has plenty of gears. He didn’t want to get into the race too early. If he had got into it at the stone wall he would have been too free.

“We learned our lesson at Gowran. I told Ruby to leave it as late as he could and he probably even got there too early.

“He’s a nice sort for summer jumping and he’ll go chasing down the road.”

Ruby Walsh has a 28 per cent strike rate at Punchestown, which rises to 34 per cent when riding for Willie Mullins.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson