Hercule Du Seuil © Photo Healy Racing
The 8/11 favourite Hercule Du Seuil gained his third win in a row over fences when making virtually all under Mark Walsh in the Guinness Open Gate Brewery Novice Chase.
The Saddler Maker gelding jumped well, if inclined to go a little left, and gained ground at several of the obstacles. The field closed up on him going to two out and Ballyadam joined him over the last but the six-year-old had plenty left for the final climb and went away to win by six-and-a-half lengths from Solness who edged Ballyadam out of second spot.
Winning trainer Willie Mullins said: "I thought it was a great performance because it's not long since he raced down at Killarney and he loves racing on flat tracks. I thought coming here, and coming up the hill twice, might be a step too far and it was a tough assignment.
"Mark even thought before the race that he was dead in himself and thinks the horse is settling and learning to relax. That will help him see out longer trips and have more at the end of his races.
"We'll run him in any two (miles) to 2m2f races we can find."
Walsh told RTE: "That's the first time I've ridden him over fences. Last time I rode him was at Fairyhouse at Easter and he nearly ran away with me there but fences have him copped on now. He has a look at what he's doing and he's not a tearaway and it's helping him get home better.
"He's so quick through the air, he's better going long than going in and popping them because he makes so many lengths when he is long. Fences are after making a man out of him now.
"I was just going the fractions I wanted, I wanted to fill him up everywhere I could.
"I could hear them coming to me down to the second-last and I just got in a bit tight to it and I had to go for a long one at the last, which he got. I got back on the rail and I'd plenty of horse left from the last home."
"It's good ground, lovely safe jumping ground, but it's good."
Quotes from Tom Weekes
