Robin Des Foret, near side, jumps the last before beating Westerner Point by a head© Photo Healy Racing
Willie Mullins' Robin Des Foret got the job done in the extended two mile three chase at Clonmel but favourite backers who took the 8/13 certainly had a raised heartbeat or two.
He moved smoothly in contention on the outer of Line Out and Westerner Point after three out. Line Out got tired before the penultimate fence and dropped to third as a niggled along Westerner Point led narrowly over it from a seemingly tanking Robin Des Foret.
However, Westerner Point increased the lead at the last but Robin Des Foret answered Paul Townend's questions on the run-in as he saw his rival off by a head.
Townend said: "I was jumping well up the back and while I didn't want to give away the advantage of jumping, I didn't want to get involved with Darragh (O'Keeffe, on Westerner Point) as i knew he'd stay well. Thankfully he has just held on today.
"It's nice for him to win as he had been running well through last summer without winning and it'll do him the world of good, and I'm sure he'll be campaigned in similar races."
This was Robin Des Foret's first victory since landing a novice chase at Listowel in September 2018 and his 10th career success.
Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
