Billaway landed the Congratulations To Naas GAA On An Incredible Year Hunters Chase for the third successive year and in the process completed a treble on the afternoon for champion trainer Willie Mullins.

The ten-year-old son of Well Chosen disputed the lead for much of the 3m1f trip with Ask D’Man but that rival weakened quickly after jumping sharply left two out.

Patrick Mullins oozed confidence on the 2/5 favourite, sporting cheekpieces for the first time, cruising clear on the run-in to beat stablemate Good Bye Sam by an easy four and a half lengths. Cloudy Tuesday was all of 31 lengths back in third.

Billaway is now a best priced 7/2 favourite for the Foxhunters at the Cheltenham Festival having filled the runner-up spot in that event for the past two years.

Willie Mullins said, "He did that very efficiently, very well. I couldn't find fault in anything the horse did there, he galloped and jumped and did everything you'd want.

“It's a great prep for next month. He needed it badly the first day and I had to get a run into him. I was hoping it wouldn't backfire here today and it didn't, it brought him on enough. Everything went according to plan.

“The second horse ran very well too, he's running in a grade above what he should be running in. I wanted to get racecourse experience into him and that worked out.

“I'll probably keep him at home and try and win a maiden hunters chase with him. I'll be aiming him towards Fairyhouse or Punchestown.”

Mullins was on the mark earlier with Goven in the maiden hurdle and Elimay justified prohibitive odds in the featured Opera Hat Chase.

(GC & AM)