Mark Walsh performed heroics at the final flight when winning on the well-backed Slip Of The Tongue at Punchestown on Sunday.
JP McManus's number one rider in Ireland, Walsh was completing a fine treble on the day following earlier victories aboard Enda Bolger's Midnight Maestro and Willie Mullins' Ciel De Neige, and really earned his fee in the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle.
Slip Of The Tongue (5/2 joint-favourite), trained by Padraig Roche, came in for strong support ahead of the two-mile Listed event and a roar went up from the local crowds as Walsh went through the gears on the five-year-old heading to the final flight.
He appeared to have just about mastered the Mullins-trained Deploy The Getaway on the approach to the last hurdle, but met it all wrong and almost bundled his rider out of the side door.
Somehow, Walsh and his mount remained intact and despite Deploy The Getaway coming back to renew his challenge on the run-in, the winner found enough to repel his pursuer by three-quarters of a length.
Fellow joint-favourite Au Fleuron, trained by Gordon Elliott, finished a further eight and a half lengths back in third, while the disappointment of the race was Henry De Bromhead's Largy Debut, who had beaten Kilcruit earlier in the season but has failed to build on the comeback win.
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Roche said: “That was great, he’s a lovely horse and it’ll keep the father (former rider and trainer Christy Roche) happy as he’s a home-bred. He’s a horse that we’ve liked all the time and he’s learning all the time.
“At Limerick the last day we didn’t learn much. I’d say he stays well and loves that bit of soft ground. Knowing the family, they get better with time and hopefully he will. He’s a fine, big horse.
“I haven’t discussed plans yet but I’d say we’ll keep him at home.”
Midnight Maestro had earlier landed the Hollywoodbets Bet 10 Get 30 PP Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase, getting the better of stablemate Shady Operator.
Enda Bolger’s pair drew clear of the chasing pack from the home turn and it was Walsh’s mount who got the better of a thrilling duel by a neck.
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“They just swapped it around from the last meeting here. Shady got a cut here the last day and was laid up for a while. He had a run at Navan but the other horse finished better that day.
“Maybe the little bit of fitness at the end probably caught Shady out. I thought for a minute he was coming back at him again. They were fine and professional about it and their jumping was good.”
The Walsh treble was completed by Ciel De Neige for Willie Mullins in the Hollywoodbets Cheltenham Festival Preview March 3rd Rated Novice Chase.
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