The Willie Mullins-trained Tullyhill readily beat off a good-looking field to win the Madigan Group Irish EBF Sheila Bourke Novice Hurdle.
Paul Townend sent the well-backed 6/5 favourite straight to the front in Punchestown's Listed contest over two miles and didn't see another rival, still going strongly on turning into the home straight as his rivals in behind began to put out the warning signals.
Townend gave Willie Mullins' grey an inch of rein after touching down after the last and he scooted away to score by nine lengths from the Leopardstown maiden winner No Flies On Him (4/1), who had proved easy to back before the off. Jigoro (6/1) was a further head back in third.
Paddy Power slashed Tullyhill to 5/1 (NRNB) from 16/1 for the Sky Bet Supreme at the Cheltenham Festival, with the sponsors going 6/1 (NRNB) and 7/1 in their traditional antepost market.
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Mullins said: “He has a fair engine and we just needed to give him confidence jumping. David Casey was deputised with that job and has done a right job.
“He’s entitled to go anywhere after a performance like that.
“I thought he’d be an out-an-out stayer but he has plenty of speed, a great cruising speed, and now his jumping is starting to match his cruising speed.
“He’s in the Supreme and I’ll have a word with connections and see what they would like to do."
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