Avant Tout pictured on his way to victory at Tramore© Photo Healy Racing
Avant Tout could be headed to the Cheltenham Festival following a creditable effort in Listed company on Sunday.
The winner of a French bumper before a wide-margin success on his Irish debut at Tramore on New Year's Day, Willie Mullins' five-year-old stepped up in class at Punchestown.
Avant Tout looked in danger of being tailed off at one stage leaving the back straight, but plugged on in the straight to finish on the heels of the placed horses in fourth.
Owners' the Supreme Horse Racing Club's head Steve Massey feels the two-mile distance was on the short side and a potential step up to three miles in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle has been mentioned.
He said: "I was delighted with the way he ran. He just got done for toe, as we thought he might over two miles.
"I was bit worried he was going to be beaten 30 or 40 lengths turning for home, but he ran on well and I think he'll be a lovely horse once he goes over two and a half and three miles, particularly when he goes over fences.
"He's entered in the Neptune and the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham, but if he goes, I think the Albert Bartlett will probably be the one.
"We'll leave it up to Willie to decide. If he thinks he's good enough then great, if he doesn't, he won't go.
"We won't be taking any horses over there who we don't think have a chance."
