Avant Tout (left) is ridden out by Ruby Walsh to beat Lord Scoundrel and Bryan Cooper© Photo Healy Racing
Avant Tout completed a double on the card for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh, as he took the feature at Limerick, the Grade 2 Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Chase.
Successful on his debut over fences at Tramore in May of last year, the six-year-old son of Agent Bleu then finished second to Outlander in a Grade 2 at Limerick over Christmas.
He fell in a Listed contest at Thurles in January before finishing a respectable ninth back over hurdles in the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival.
Sent off the 8/15 favourite today he was settled in second as Fine Theatre attempted to make all.
The winner and Lord Scoundrel bypassed Fine Theatre on the run to two out, with Avant Tout getting the front before the last, keeping on well under pressure on the run-in to score by two lengths in the colours of the Supreme Horse Racing Club.
Lord Scoundrel (5/2) had to settle for second under Bryan Cooper for Gordon Elliott, while The Housekeeper was seven lengths back in third.
Mullins, who was earlier successful with Bellow Mome stated afterwards: "He has stamina and jumping and stamina is what is needed here today.
"He'll either go to Sandown or Punchestown and can also be kept for the summer as he goes on good ground.
"Depending on what the weather throws up, the Galway Plate could be an aim."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
