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Review punchestown 7th Dec
Gordon Elliott
© Photo Healy Racing
< Don Cossack made it three wins from three starts this season as he took a dramatic renewal of the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase.
Brian O'Connell settled the Gordon Elliott-trained seven-year-old (13-8) in third, but he was left in front early on when Baily Green and Rathlin fell at the same fence, and he looked a sitting duck between the final two obstacles.
Both Boston Bob and Texas Jack challenged hard, but Don Cossack found plenty for pressure and was driven four and a half lengths clear of the former, with Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Lord Windermere staying on stoutly for third.
Elliott doubled up when Mala Beach (11-8) took the Buy Your Go Racing In Kildare Badge Beginners Chase after the long-awaited reappearance of Un Atout went badly wrong.
Willie Mullins' odds-on favourite made a dreadful error and did everything but fall, and though he got back into the race he had nothing left in the closing stages as Mala Beach cleared away in the hands of Robbie Colgan to score by 16 lengths.
The Weatherbys Ireland GSB Handicap Chase went to Henry de Bromhead's 3-1 favourite Grand Jesture who led two out under Johnny Burke and got the better of Sadler'sflaure to win by three and a quarter lengths.
Jessie Harrington's six-year-old Rock The World was sent off the 8-11 favourite for the CBRE Property Advisors Supporting Kilmacud Crokes Rated Novice Hurdle and won as he pleased, easing ahead on the home turn and forging seven lengths clear under Robbie Power.
Ted Walsh produced On Impulse ready to do the business on his first run for the yard in the 2015 Annual Membership Maiden Hurdle and the result was never in doubt once Davy Russell jumped to the front two out on the 5-2 shot, who raced eight lengths clear.
The jockey soon doubled up when Charles Byrnes' well-backed 15-8 favourite Lite Duties took the Kelly Bradshaw Dalton Supporting Cavan GAA Handicap Hurdle, easily defying a 10lb hike for a victory at the track last month to score by five lengths.