Bleu Berry continued his rise up the ranks when completing a hat-trick in the Grade 2 Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Willie Mullins saddled four of the nine runners in this two-mile event, and the well-backed 2/1 favourite (from 11/4) struck the front just after the last under Ruby Walsh.

The French import stayed on strongly in the closing stages to beat Outspoken by two and a quarter lengths, with the front-running Montalbano another two lengths back in third.

Mullins said, “He’s improving with every run and he’ll probably head to Punchestown and go novice chasing next season.

“He could go out to two and a half miles (at Punchestown) but we’ll decide closer to the time when we see what we have.”