Walsh forces Inspector into action

Scots-man Allan McLuckie had his colours carried with distinction in the past by Holy Orders and Deutschland, and Ruby Walsh, who rode both to victories, turned certain failure into victory on the McLuckie-owned Inspector Clouseau in the opening Buy Your 2011 Annual Badge Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown.

Inspector Clouseau had a mountain to climb in eleventh after three out but he made ground under pressure from the next and eventually got into a challenging position at the last. The grey son of Daylami led on the run-in and then proved a neck too strong for the favourite, Start Me Up in the closing stages.

Winning trainer Willie Mullins said: "From what I saw of that in the car-park it was ride of the week. I think I counted about six behind him at the fourth last.

"He has been just too free coming off the flat in England. We had to try and get him to settle. He is learning to jump and settle. He is not a winter horse, he is a better ground horse really.

"We put a tongue-strap on him the last day but we left it off today. I'm restricted as to where I can go with him now, there isn't much open to a five-year-old that has won on the flat."

Not surprisingly Walsh got a warm reception from the Punchestown crowd on his return to the number one spot.