Charlus adds his name to Mullins' Cheltenham squad

Charlus added to his three victories on the Flat in France when making a winning Irish debut in the maiden hurdle at Naas.

Paul Townend 's mount took the home bend in third place and availed of a lovely seam on the inner to get on terms with Holy See two out.

He was shaken up into a narrow lead over the last and looked like he was about to assert inside the final furlong. However, Holy See wasn't about to go away and kept the winner, who was driven out by Townend, honest.

There was a length and a-quarter between the easy-to-back winner who went off at 'tips on' 10/11 with the runner-up a 2/1 chance. Kool One (28/1), who was prominent for a long way, ran a good race in third.

Willie Mullins said: “That was a very pleasing first run for a Churchill off the Flat. I was afraid he’d be too keen and was really pleased how he settled and jumped.

“He had a couple of little setbacks earlier in the season and we’re hoping that he’ll improve enough to merit his entry in the Triumph Hurdle.

“It’s a new partnership (The Why Knot Partnership) between a number of groups hatched over a social occasion. They have four or five horses, mostly dual-purpose types, and our aim would be to have runners at the likes of Cheltenham and Ascot.”

Paddy Power trimmed Charlus from 25/1 to 20/1 for the Triumph Hurdle.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee