Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle report and free video replay: Mystical Power wins for Willie Mullins

Mullins had won the Punchestown Grade 2 on nine occasions in the past and the unbeaten Mystical Power was sent off the 5/4 favourite under Mark Walsh, with no shortage of support for his Paul Townend-ridden stablemate Lombron (5/2).

In the end, Mystical Power's victory was an emphatic one, the JP McManus-owned five-year-old coming from the back of the four-runner field to win going away by seven lengths from Gordon Elliott's Jigoro (4/1) in second. There was a further 14 lengths back to James's Gate in third, and Lombron was the last to finish.

The sponsors reacted by slashing Mystical Power into 9/2 joint-favouritism for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, a position he shares in the antepost market with Nicky Henderson's Jeriko Du Reponet, who is also owned by McManus.

Sky Bet's Michael Shinners said: "Mystical Power is our new joint-favourite for the Sky Bet Supreme after winning what looked like a potentially informative race beforehand in very good fashion. He's now shown his versatility in terms of ground conditions and it's not hard to imagine the more galloping nature of Cheltenham suiting this horse even better. JP McManus looks to hold a really strong hand in the Festival opener."

Mullins’ assistant David Casey said: “I was very impressed with him, he wouldn’t show that at home. He seems to save his best for the track, which is a great trait to have.

“We were a little bit worried about the ground today as he’s coming from a summer campaign. We were a little worried if he would handle that heavy ground, but it looks like he went through it very well. We gave him a break after he had his couple of runs in the summer and brought him back to see if he would handle a winter campaign.

“Mark rode him a couple of weeks ago and thought he had improved hugely from when he had rode him earlier in the year. He showed that today.

“At the moment you probably wouldn’t go any further than two miles until you have to. Mark said he rides a lot quicker on the track than he does at home,” Casey added.

"I thought he showed a fair turn of foot there. I know the camp have the second-favourite for the Supreme as well so they might want to split them up, but at the moment until you have to you wouldn’t go further, I think."

Frank Berry, McManus’ racing manager, said: “That was grand. Mark said they didn’t go mad early on, but he quickened up well. Hopefully he’ll have learned a little bit jumping wise today and you could only be very pleased with him.

“We didn’t know coming here how he was going to cope with the ground, but he coped with it quite well. He’s keen anyway and the small field suited to get him settled."

When asked if he could run again before Cheltenham, Berry added: “The experience part of it would do him good but we’ll leave that up to Willie."

Fortune favours Lisnagar at last

Elsewhere on the card, Lisnagar Fortune deservedly opened his account over obstacles in the SkyBet Acca Freeze Maiden Hurdle.

An impressive bumper winner at the 2022 Punchestown Festival, the half-brother to Stayers’ Hurdle hero Lisnagar Oscar did not run again until finishing second on his hurdling debut at Tramore on New Year’s Day of last year.

The six-year-old was beaten as an odds-on favourite for a second time at Cork on his next start before being touched off by stablemate Readin Tommy Wrong at the same venue on his comeback in November, form which was well advertised by the winner’s surprise Grade One success at Naas on Friday.

On the strength of that run Lisnagar Fortune was odds-on at 10/11 to come good over hurdles at the fourth attempt and got the job done in good style, pulling six and a half lengths clear of Jasko Des Dames to complete a double on the card for Willie Mullins following the earlier success of Mystical Power.

Of Lisnagar Fortune, winning jockey Paul Townend said: “The penny is dropping a little bit with him. On form he was entitled to win after the run in Mallow (Cork).

“He’s just taken a while to come to hand and learn his jumping and things. I thought it was the best he has jumped today and he’ll progress away. He’ll end up going further but he was too keen, he’s starting to race now and to learn. He’ll end up going back out in trip in time, but I’m not sure if it’s the right time yet."

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Kates Hill broke her duck under rules in the Total Event Rental Beginners Chase.

The three-time point-to-point winner had been unsuccessful in seven previous outings over regulation obstacles, but was placed in bumpers and over hurdles and filled the runner-up spot on her chasing debut at Naas last month.

Philip Dempsey’s charge was a 15/8 shot to go one better under Donagh Meyler and dug deep from the final fence to see off the rallying Rolly Bowley Boy by half a length.

“That was great, she backed up her Naas run. She’s a great jumper, she’s a lovely mare and she won well there,” said Dempsey.

“There is novice handicap at Naas at the end of the month and the Ulster National could be a plan, distance would be her thing.”

Idol (100/30) landed the SkyBet Request A Bet Mares Handicap Hurdle for trainer Sam Curling and jockey Philip Enright, while Shark Hanlon and Shane Fenelon combined to take top honours in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Chase with Easy Bucks (18/1).

The SkyBet Build A Bet Amateur National brought proceedings to a close, with victory going to the Ted Walsh-trained Hardwired (11/4 joint-favourite) and 7lb claimer Alex Harvey.

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