Up For Review was a most impressive all-the-way winner of the Dorans Pride Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.
The Willie Mullins-trained gelding won with his head in his chest over two and a half miles at Fairyhouse in November and was the 4-5 favourite tackling three miles for the first time in this Grade Two event.
Ruby Walsh was happy to let the market leader bowl along at the head of affairs and it was clear from the home turn he had far too many guns for his toiling rivals.
He safely negotiated the final flight to seal a 13-length victory, with Jetstream Jack best of the rest.
The winner’s previously unbeaten stablemate Nambour was a spent force leaving the back straight and finished well-beaten.
Walsh said: “He was very good. He jumped really well and kept finding.
“I was going a really good gallop — you’d want a fair horse to follow him.
“Last year as a bumper horse he was very good the first day and then seemed to fall apart, but he’s a year older and a year stronger.
“He has a good cruising speed, he handles really heavy ground and he’s an exciting horse.
“Onwards and upwards hopefully.”
RaceBets cut the Graham Wylie-owned winner to 5-1 from 14-1 for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
Mullins nominated that three-mile contest as Up For Review’s likely Festival target, but was not as impressed with his jumping as Walsh.
“That was an impressive performance, although his jumping was just adequate,” said the champion trainer.
“He will get an entry in the Neptune, but it looks like he has Albert Bartlett written all over him.
“He may not run again before Cheltenham, as last year he went over the top quickly.
“He handled the ground well, he’s bred to go on better ground.”
The victory completed doubles on the day for the formidable team of Mullins and Walsh, with Pleasant Company (11-8 favourite) having earlier landed the Buy Your 2016 Annual Membership Beginners Chase.
Mullins said: “He did it well and showed a lot of bravery. He’ll get an entry in the RSA and the four-mile race (National Hunt Chase) at Cheltenham.”
Noble Emperor eventually saw off admirable veteran Seabass to bounce back to winning ways in the Free Festival Upgrade Ticket Offer Hurdle.
The Tony Martin-trained Noble Emperor was the 11-8 favourite after falling in a valuable chase at Limerick four days earlier and was always travelling strongly in the hands of Barry Geraghty.
Seabass, best known for carrying Katie Walsh to the highest finish for a female rider in Grand National history when third in 2012, secured his first victory in well over three and a half years at Thurles a week and a half ago and after being ridden prominently, refused to go down without a fight, but Noble Emperor found extra from the final flight to prevail by three lengths.
High-class chaser Texas Jack weakened quickly on his return to the smaller obstacles, while Double Seven, not seen since finishing third in the 2014 Grand National, could never land a blow.
Martin said: “It’s great to get that out of the way. He’s had some great runs and it’s nice to get that win.
“The size of him you would think he’s made for the fences at Aintree 30 years ago, but his jumping has been a bit iffy over fences.
“He’ll probably mix it between hurdles and chases and we’ll have to see where he goes next.”
