Cape Gentleman in charge under Brian Hayes© Photo Healy Racing
Cape Gentleman was a ready winner of the opening beginners' chase at Punchestown when odds-on favourite Ballyadam crashed out at the first fence.
Grade-One winning-hurdler Ballyadam was making his debut over fences but got the first all wrong and departed to leave Cape Gentleman and Buddy Rich way out in front of 200/1 outsider Guido Reni
Cape Gentleman went on before halfway and strode clear before the fourth last fence.
The leader was in charge, however, Brian Hayes asked him for a stride at the second last and he didn't see it as he ploughed through the top of it.
Buddy Rich was briefly given a sniff of victory but Cape Gentleman was soon back on the bridle and jumped the last in good style to ease home by six lengths at 7/4.
This was also his debut over fences having won the Irish Cesarewitch on the Flat before landing a Grade 2 novice hurdle in Kempton. He was also placed in the Galway Hurdle.
Trainer Emmet Mullins said: “It's a great start and I couldn't ask for anymore.
“He had a good round of jumping, a little novicey mistake at the second last but hopefully he should learn from that and it'll stand to him going forward.
“It's good to see he took to fences and he could be an exciting novice going forward for the rest of the season.
“I haven't thought of any future plans but he's a high quality horse and we'll be looking at all the graded options anyway.
“He won his maiden hurdle on proper heavy ground here during the winter but if we have options we'll definitely be picking better ground.
“It's probably more of a worry whether we can go back left-handed again after Leopardstown last year. I'd like to forgive him the run but time will tell.
“He has a high cruising speed so I told Brian to buck out and go as fitness was on our side and he's a slick jumper in the main.
“Trip wise I'd say he'll be very versatile and I'd have no qualms about going up in trip. The Ascot Stakes was two-and-a-half on the Flat and he was still galloping at the line, he was actually caught flat footed that day.
“He's an exciting horse and we have plenty of options.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
