Racing:Nickname enjoyed another straightforward success at Naas today as the Martin Brassil-trained eight-year-old showed once again he is virtually unstoppable on his favoured soft ground.
Sent off the 1-4 favourite for the paddypowerpoker.com Newlands Chase, Ruby Walsh rode a patient race before accelerating towards towards the final fence and cantering clear for a 12-length success over the novice Gemini Lucy, his fifth victory of a memorable season.
VC Bet cut the winner a point and now go 6-1 from 7s for the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, although Brassil was once again keen to stress underfoot conditions will dictate his participation in the two-mile championship.
The runner-up was cut to 12-1 from 16s for the Arkle, while Jessica Harrington's charge was cut to 16-1 from 20-1 for the same race with William Hill.
Brassil said of his mudlark: "Ruby said they went a bit steady and he knew they were going to quicken up at one stage. I was happy with the way he went away on he run-in and it's a privilege to have a horse like him.
"We won't decide until probably about three days before the race whether he will go for the Queen Mother."
Kazal continued his rise up the hurdling ranks with another determined success in the Grade Two paddypower.com Johnstown Novice Hurdle.
Twice a winner in Grade Three company and with a victory at this level already in the bag, he was conceding at least 5lb and more to his rivals but was still sent off the 5-2 favourite.
Barry Geraghty asked his mount to go clear turning into the straight and he soon took a couple of lengths out of the field.
Callherwhatulike (9-1) emerged as a challenger under Walsh, but Geraghty's mount found more for pressure and hung on for a one-and-a-quarter-length success.
In five starts under Rules, Kazal has only met with defeat once, behind Noel Meade's much-touted Aran Concerto.
VC Bet were suitably impressed and go 8-1 from 12s for the Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle and 14-1 from 25s for the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle, for which Aran Concerto is the 2-1 favourite.
"The ground, even for him was very testing. I'm very happy with him and he's achieving way beyond our expectations," said winning trainer Eoin Griffin.
"I'm not overly keen to go to Cheltenham as I don't think it will be soft enough - if it is, the Brit Insurance and the uphill finish would be right up his street.
"I don't think there is any point taking on Aran Concerto again in the Ballymore as he is the banker of the meeting in my eyes.
"If I give him any time off he can become very aggressive and difficult to manage, which is why we keep him busy."
Benefit Night sprung a surprise in the Anglo Irish Bank Nas Na Riogh Chase after benefiting from a fine front-running ride from Barry Cash.
Cash, who used to ride Brave Inca in his novice hurdling days, set a steady gallop in the early stages but gradually wound up the pace from halfway and attacked every fence in the process.
Despite the presence of Grade One winners Mister Top Notch and Schindlers Hunt, Cash managed to get his rivals hard at work before the turn into the straight.
The Danny O'Sullivan-trained 12-1 chance put in another prodigious leap at the final fence, at which the favourite Schindlers Hunt fell when beaten, and held off Letterman (25-1) to score by a length and a quarter.
O'Sullivan has held a licence for four years and was recording by the far the biggest success of his career.
He has a team of 30 split between the point-to-point field and racing under Rules.
"I'm going to put him away for the season and bring him back in the autumn," he said.
"The ground is the key to this horse, he just loves soft ground. It is also great for Barry, he gave him a great ride."
Heavenly Blues had 18 lengths to spare over Arctic Bear in the opening Paddy Power Dial-a-bet Maiden Hurdle to reward favourite-backers at 7-4.
William Hill cut the five-year-old to 40-1 from 50s for the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices' and Ballymore Properties, but trainer Ted Walsh said: "The owners are keen, but I don't think he has enough experience to throw him in at the deep end.
"I'm thinking more of a winners of one at Leopardstown or back here in a fortnight."
Oliver Brady has his sights set on the Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle with paddypowercasino.com Handicap Hurdle winner Maralan (10-1).
"He's going to run in the County Hurdle and I hope this win will put him up enough to get in," he explained.
Bootlegger stayed on best of all to claim the paddypower.com (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race but is far from certain to go for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at the Festival.
Trainer Tom Mullins said of the 5-2 favourite: "He's a real decent horse, but I'm not that worried about going to Cheltenham. He likes that ground and I'm looking forward to him going over hurdles next season.
"I'm not sure if he has the scope to jump fences in time as he is not overly big."