Bleu Berry overcame a near year-long absence to complete a double on the day for Champion Trainer Willie Mullins at Fairyhouse today, comprehensively winning the Leading Light & Ocovango Maiden Hurdle under jockey Ruby Walsh.

The French bred son of Special Kaldoun was a final fight faller on his previous start at Clonmel in March and made no mistake today, when scoring an impressive six lengths win over Knockmaole Boy

Following the race, Mullins stated “he worked very well last season but disappointed when we brought him to Newbury for a bumper. We had thought he could run in a Cheltenham bumper as he was working so well at home.

"He then fell over hurdles and we put him away and he’s come back more like the horse he was showing us last year - maybe he just needed a summer's grass.

"That was a fantastic performance and I'm not sure where he'll go - we'll see how he comes out of this first.”

Mullins and Walsh were earlier successful when Retour En France won the opener.

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee