Listen Dear and Ruby Walsh© Photo Healy Racing
The Holycross Mares Chase was turned into a match after two of the four declared were taken out, and Listen Dear duly justified prohibitive odds in the Thurles opener.
The daughter of Robin Des Champs was sent off the 1/12 favourite to beat sole rival Thanks For Tea in the absence of both Presenting Mahler (going) and Moonbeg Rose (stiff).
The Willie Mullins-trained hot-pot adopted her usual front-running tactics, and was completing a five-timer having previously made a successful chasing debut at Ballinrobe.
Her jumping was generally good put there were a few scary moments at the sixth and again four out, and she pecked slightly after the last.
Ruby Walsh just pushed her out on the run-in to score by half a length.
Walsh said, “She had been a bit brave in her early schooling but she was good at Ballinrobe. She wasn’t as brave there as she was probably having a look at the Easi-Fix aprons.
“Today she was a bit brave across the top and got low at the second last the first time. She’s done the job and I’m sure she will step up in grade now.
“If you dropped her back to two miles you could go faster and make more use of her. She’s probably a better filly to let roll.”
