The Noel Meade trained Ange Blanc (7/2CF), under Nina Carberry, made a winning debut in the AES Family Saturday At The Festival Flat Race at Punchestown today, defeating his other two co-favourites into second and third.

Carberry sent the close relative of Harchibald into a clear lead a furlong out before staying on well to comfortably defeat Kauto Star’s half brother Kauto Grand Mogol

Afterwards Meade said “I bought Ange Blanc as a two year old in Saint Cloud and he is a gorgeous looking horse, very tall.

“I think he is going to be very good, he is still weak and backward and with the heavy ground today, I thought this was going to be too soon for him but it wasn’t a puff out of him and he handled it well.

“He’s out of a half-sister to Harchibald and is a nice prospect and may have one more run in the spring before going hurdling next year - he jumps brilliantly.”