Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh doubled up after Vautour s win in the Grade 1 – the preceding heat - when Arctic Fire lived up to his billing and more by sluicing up as the 4/5 favourite in the Star Best For Racing Coverage Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.

The German-bred, who had the clear edge on these opponents on the form he’d displayed thus far, went away with ease to win his race from before the last. He crossed the line seven and a half lengths in front of the English raider Gassin Golf

"That was good. I thought he was probably my best chance of a winner all week," exclaimed Mullins afterwards.

He then added: "At the conditions of the race he was well in and he only did what we were hoping he would do.

"He had been promising to put in a run like that all season. His run at Cheltenham was good.

"He's not a heavy ground horse so we might keep him going.

"We'll certainly look at races like the Galway Hurdle. We'll see what the handicapper does – I don't think he can do too much after that.

"We always thought he could be a Galway Hurdle horse ground-wise and all being well that's where he could go." (GC & EM)