Shot has too much firepower for rivals Shot From The Hip bounced back to his best to run out a convincing winner of the Grade 1 Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown. Tony McCoy's mount claimed front-runner Far Away So Close after the second last and powered down the straight. The Edward O'Grady-trained gelding pulled away from his rivals going to the final flight and kept on strongly to record a nine-length success over Hidden Universe. It was a quick double on the card for owner JP McManus, who was on hand to also see Outlaw Pete land the opening cross country event. The winner had disappointed last time when turned over at odds-on in Gowran Park having been a fine third behind Oscars Well in Grade 1 company at Leopardstown on his previous start. "We've always had a high opinion of the horse," said O'Grady afterwards. O'Grady explained that the reason for his disappointing effort at Gowran only emerged a few days after. "It just goes to show you what an inexact science training horses is. Straight after the race he was perfect and a few minutes later I was told he had coughed in the yard. "We scoped him after and he was perfect but about three days later we scoped him again and he was full of muck. "We just hoped he was right today. He has been a bit inconsistent in the past but I don't think it's all down to the horse and he may just have picked up a few bugs. "I'm not sure if he'll go chasing next season but he does have the scope to jump fences. "After he was beaten at Leopardstown we thought it best not to go to Cheltenham. It was in the best interest of the horse. "It's a while since I've had a Grade One winner for JP and it's nice to get a big one for him." McCoy was having his first ride on the winner and said:- "It's nice to win a Grade 1 and he did it quite well. He's probably been a horse that's been a little disappointing but in fairness today he seemed to do it pretty well and kept going well. "The race went to plan. He got a good gallop all the way and I'd say that suited. He seemed to stay well off it and jumped well on the whole."
