Those who doubted Florida Pearl's resolution were put in their place when Ireland's top chaser powered to Heineken Gold Cup glory at Punchestown yesterday.
In the process, he proved to be the centrepiece of a memorable Grade One hat-trick for the Mullins family.
Florida Pearl's trainer, Willie Mullins, also took the big novice hurdle with Davenport Milenium while Supreme Developer, trained by Tony Mullins, landed the bumper.
Nevertheless, it was the old stager that hogged centre stage. Florida Pearl met some interference when the seven-strong field swung almost en masse out of the back straight, but that was nothing compared to the clout he gave the fourth-last fence.
Barry Geraghty had to sit tight on the normally foot-perfect star and then quickly galvanise Florida Pearl to a rejuvenated effort to hold his old rival Native Upmanship.
That the horse responded spoke volumes for his courage and that he responded so quickly just confirmed the class that Willie Mullins still believes can carry Florida Pearl to Cheltenham Gold Cup success.
"When he ploughed through that fence I thought his chance had gone but he showed tremendous reserves to come back like that," Mullins said.
"It will be much the same plan next season although we maybe might not go to Down Royal and start instead in the Durkan. Then there's the King George, although we might think too about the Hennessy at Leopardstown. But I want to go back for the Gold Cup."
Native Upmanship delighted his trainer Arthur Moore but rider Conor O'Dwyer was left to think what might have happened if he had secured a clear run. "I got hassle from Foxchapel King who was jumping badly. I'm not saying it cost me the race but it didn't help," he reported.
Davenport Milenium upset the hitherto unbeaten Like-A-Butterfly in the Menolly Champion Novice Hurdle. The Mullins horse overhauled the weak-in-the-market favourite on the run to the last and then sprinted eight lengths clear of Thari.
"He had always promised to put in a performance like that," said the winning trainer, who will aim Davenport Milenium at a novice chase campaign next season. "The favourite has had a long, hard season and probably wasn't at her best." The Like-A-Butterfly camp agreed with that summation after a run on ground that might have been just too fast.
"It was touch and go whether we ran or not but it was perfect when we walked it," said Christy Roche while Charlie Swan reported: "In really good company, she's probably better on ground just a bit softer."
Supreme Developer learned enough from his Cheltenham experience to repel Alexander Milenium in the Paddy Power bumper and prove Tony McCoy right again. "Tony said he didn't know enough for the rough and tumble at Cheltenham but that we had a proper horse. I knew that anyway but it was good to hear," said Tony Mullins, the younger brother of Willie.
Barry Geraghty chalked up his own double on Torduff Boy who held off Greenstead by a length at the end of the handicap chase, a result that left Paul Carberry tantalisingly close to a personal landmark. His earlier victory on the 16 to 1 Old Opry was Carberry's 99th winner of the season and the jockey, who rides Limestone Lad today, joked: "I'll try and get the 100 some time this week!"
