Mullins and Townend at double with Salvator Mundi
Salvator Mundi leads over the final flight
© Photo Healy Racing
Salvator Mundi s eagerly-anticipated return saw him win the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown, but he left the impression that there is improvement to come ahead of a trip to Cheltenham.
He was keen, and far from fluent in his jumping, and looked to have plenty on his plate in fourth on the approach to the home straight.
Paul Townend soon got after him and he did find to sweep to the front just before the final flight. He met it at speed and again wasn't overly fluent, but asserted on the run-in to strike by three lengths.
He was all the rage in the market from 8/11 down to 8/15 favourite for this seasonal reappearance. Stablemate Kel Histoire (7/2) took the runner-up berth.
Townend said: “He was fresh, and it was messy, so I would say it was going to be hard to be impressive.
“We know he can jump, but he didn’t jump well today because I couldn’t let him.
“He had to dig in then off the bend on tacky ground in the straight. He had to find plenty - it’s hard to be impressive on that ground, but at least he won.
“He’ll have to build on it, but I think he will.
“He has gears and on that ground it’s hard to use gears on it to the best effect. I’d say a stronger run race on looser ground, wetter ground even, would help him.”
This brought up a double for Mullins and Townend who took the Grade 3 novice chase on the card with Lecky Watson
Paddy Power kept Salvator Mundi unchanged at 5/1 favourite for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle before trimming him to 4/1f.
Salvator Mundi was sixth in last season's Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham before running away with a Tipperary maiden hurdle by 62 lengths in May.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson