Energumene and Paul Townend win the Bar One Racing Hilly Way Steeplechase Grade 2 © Photo Healy Racing
Energumene strengthened his position at the head of the market for the Champion Chase when making a winning reappearance in the Grade 2 Hilly Way Chase at Cork on Sunday afternoon.
Sent off at prohibitive odds to dispose of his four rivals, the Willie Mullins trained gelding justified that price with a thoroughly professional performance under regular jockey Paul Townend. Despite having upwards of 19lb in hand on official ratings, the eight-year-old still had to get the job done; something he did with the minimum of fuss.
Always travelling well at the head of the field, he had his rivals in trouble before four out and cruised home to record an effortless success.
With opposition scare on the ground at this stage, the 2022 winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase looks the one they all have to beat in next year's renewal at Cheltenham.
Willie Mullins and Paul Townend were completing a double on the card following the earlier win of Blood Destiny
Willie Mullins said: "I was a little worried passing the winning post the first time as his eye was caught by something. The end result was great but I don't know if he was feeling something or was looking at the gate or crossing the road but definitely I wasn't happy with the way he went around the bend passing the stands.
"Paul thought he was idling in front - he was probably in front on his own and there was nothing to make him race. He loves jumping, has a great appetite for it and you are lucky when you have a horse like that.
"We won't make any plans, he is in at Christmas, at the Dublin Racing Festival and the Ascot race is there but we won't make any decision until we see how he comes out of this."
Paddy Power cut Enegumene from evens to 4/5 for the Champion Chase
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
