Jasmin De Vaux won the Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle at Punchestown | report and replay

Jasmin De Vaux showed career best form over hurdles last month when winning the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle and added another Grade 1 to his c.v. in gritty style.

Willie Mullins' charge and Aintree Grade 1 winner Honesty Policy - who was stepping up to three miles for the first time under Rules - dominated the market and the race, pulling clear of their rivals in the closing stages.

Argento Boy took the field along with Honesty Policy in fifth and Jasmin De Vaux sixth for much of the contest. Mark Walsh took closer order on the former after halfway as he moved up the inside while Paul Townend was always widest of all aboard the winner.

The pace quickened around the turn and Jasmin De Vaux made his first significant mistake at the second last but he responded well and was back alongsides Honesty Policy approaching the last. Jasmin De Vaux produced another messy leap at the last, stumbling on landing, leading to Townend losing an iron.

The champion jockey kicked his leg out of the other iron and kept his mount balanced under a strong ride to which his partner responded willingly, scoring by half a length.

They pulled six lengths clear of Fleur In The Park in third.

Townend told Racing TV: "He loves a bit of nice ground but his jumping is his jumping, he pops away. Got up a good head of steam off the bend, Mark was after getting a good run through and I was cursing him for that.

"We were all in at the last and he got a bit high and I got unbalanced but the engine is in there and we can iron out all my mistakes. The momentum went at the last and to pick up and go again and the second horse is no slouch.

"Good horse. He's come a long way from the start of the season but he can still improve hopefully. The slower you're getting at, it's just trying 10 strides away to set him up, then he's meeting it right and if that means giving a length away going into the hurdle it means giving it away but it's just pop, pop, pop. Big help with just the two hurdles here today from leaving the back straight."

Jasmin De Vaux is owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede and the latter said: "I did [enjoy it] but it was heartstopping; my heart was coming out of my chest after the last! But Paul did such a wonderful job.

"It's really congratulations and thank you to the Closutton team, they've done it so well. He's really coming on as a jumper and that makes a big difference. It made a big difference today. He was jumping beautifully other than the last."

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