Paul Townend moved to the head of the jockeys' championship today, steering the Willie Mullins-trained Instit to justify 2/7 favouritism in winning Fairyhouse's opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase today.

The free-going five year old made all for a comfortable 15 lengths win over stablemate Pont Aval to provide five-time champion Townend with a 78th success this season, one more than injured Jack Kennedy.

Townend, who returned from hand and back injuries last year, today said “Instit put a set of earplugs in today and she was more controllable, even when they came up behind me she wasn't trying to tear off. She was more measured and more rideable.

“She was entitled to win, if she had gotten beat you would have been very disappointed and the way in which she raced was very nice. We were popping away, she had a more relaxed approach and when I wanted her, she was there.”

Quotes from Gary Carson