Davy Russell was back in the winners enclosure after delivering The Goffer from off the pace to land the Grade A Bulmers Leopardstown Handicap Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival.

The Gordon Elliott trained six-year-old was winning for the fourth time since being bought out of Benny Walsh's point-to-point academy in County Wexford. Having run below par in Grade 2 company at Warwick last time, the son of Yeats was seen to better effect in this quicker ground.

Despite having upwards of ten horses ahead of him jumping two out, Russell rode a perfect race, passing rivals one by one, before taking up the running after the last and staying on strongly close home.

"That was fantastic. He jumped from fence to fence", said Russell. "Gordon really fancied him if he came back to his best.

"I kept asking him(for big jumps) and he kept responding. It's easy when horses do that for you."

Elliott said:- “We thought he had a chance on the drying ground. He probably wants a bit further but he jumped great and galloped the whole way to the line. We're very happy.

“Davy was great on him. I told him to go out and take every chance, don't leave the paint. In those big handicaps that's what you have to do.

“We'll look at all those long distance races and he could be an Irish National horse.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

Paddy Powers introduced The Goffer at 8/1cf in their betting for the Ultima Handicap Chase