Playing returned to form with a smooth success at the Limerick Christmas meeting, and the Tom Foley-trained veteran followed up with an even more emphatic success in the McCarthy Insurance Group Handicap Chase.

Kevin Sexton’s mount went on early in the straight, and the 9/2 favourite soon took control for a facile success.

The quite lightly-raced eleven-year-old simply toyed with his rivals, coming home nine lengths clear of Prince Of Milan with Paco Jack another five and a half lengths away in third.

Foley said, “The owner sent him to France but he didn’t come back in a good way. He’d leg and back problems and it took a long time to get him back right. I’m delighted that he’s won again.

“He’ll probably go up for that and we might try him in a decent race next time off a lower weight.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes