Sweeps wins sprint for Novice

Sweeps Hill emerged on top after the Tote Sports Lounge Novice Hurdle at Punchestown turned into a sprint. Some Present almost stopped in the lead at the second flight and the race developed into a farcical tactical affair afterwards with no-one willing to be in front.

The pace did pick up before the second last and it was a sprint for home down the straight.

Sweeps Hill held the advantage and appeared to have too many gears for his rival going to the last but wasn't too quick over it and let Some Present back in with a shout.

Tony McCoy still had plenty in the tank on the run for home, however, and the Montjeu gelding proved three-parts of a length too good at the line.

"I don't know what to make of that but he's going in the right direction all the time," said winning trainer John Kiely.

"He was very lucky not to get carried out at the second. We'll have to wait for another day to see how good he is.

"We'll wait and see how he comes out of this. He's a lovely horse."

"We wouldn't have liked to be front for the whole race. Davy Russell had set out to make a good gallop but his horse didn't agree with him at the second and he was looking for a lead afterwards. There was nothing they could have done.

"He overjumped the last a bit and landed flat-footed but quickened up well after."

Mullins is convinced Some Present was spooked by something on the approach to the second flight.

"Something spooked him there all right at the second hurdle. We just haven't got to the bottom of it, though there was a railing that was on the ground. Somebody said that to me but I haven't checked it out yet," he said.

"He will have learnt something, but it was a farcical race to watch. He will have got more education and hopefully the next day it will be a proper race."