SAINT ROI CAME from last to first to open his account over fences in the Brand New Racing Post App Novice Chase at Leopardstown.
Fourth in the Irish Champion Hurdle, the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Punchestown Champion Hurdle last season, the JP McManus-owned seven-year-old had found the reopposing Fil Dor four lengths too strong on his chasing debut at Navan last month.
The pair again dominated the betting, with Fil Dor the 8-11 favourite to confirm his superiority and Saint Roi a 3-1 shot for Willie Mullins and Mark Walsh.
Visionarian gave a bold sight in front for much of the Grade One contest, with a couple of jumping mistakes late in the back straight putting Fil Dor on the back foot.
Walsh, meanwhile, bided his time aboard Saint Roi before producing him to challenge for the lead approaching the final fence.
Visionarian, the 25-1 rank outsider, did his best to make a race of it, but Saint Roi’s class kicked in on the level and he proved two and a quarter lengths too strong in the end.
Mullins, saddling his third winner on the card, said: “I thought he ran very well against a horse that had already had a run in Navan. If he’d won we’d be coming here anyway so rather than running in another beginners chase, I thought let him have a crack at a good prize.
“He jumps well enough and he’d schooled very well in the meantime. We decided to change the tactics. JP (McManus) was wondering would he be better waited with and Mark agreed. He’s a nice prospect for the rest of the season.”
Lossiemouth cemented her place at the head of ante-post lists for the Triumph Hurdle with a commanding display at Leopardstown.
The French recruit was the apparent second string for Willie Mullins on her Irish debut at Fairyhouse earlier in the month, but comfortably accounted for stablemate Zarak The Brave at Grade Three level.
She was the 4-5 favourite to follow up in the Grade Two Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle and having travelled well throughout under Paul Townend, she had the race sewn up turning for home.
Gala Marceau, making her first start for Mullins after two wins in France, gave chase in the straight, but Lossiemouth was ultimately far too strong and had seven and a half lengths in hand at the line.
Gerri Colombe maintained his unbeaten record with a clearcut victory in the Guinness Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick.
A winner in the point-to-point sphere a couple of years ago, the six-year-old had since landed two bumpers, two novice hurdles and a beginners chase for Gordon Elliott and was the 4-5 favourite stepping up to Grade One level for Limerick’s St Stephen’s Day feature.
Gerri Colombe was opposed by four rivals, three of which were trained by Willie Mullins, with 6-4 chance Kilcruit seemingly the first string ahead of Adamantly Chosen and Authorized Art.
Kilcruit briefly looked set to make a race of it with the strong-travelling Gerri Colombe early in the home straight, but his effort petered out and in the end it was left for Adamantly Chose to pick up the silver medal – beaten four and a quarter lengths by the decisive winner.
One-time Derby favourite High Definition made a successful start to his jumping career in the opening race of the Christmas Festival at Leopardstown.
The Galileo colt looked every inch a Classic contender in the making after charging home to win the Beresford Stakes as a two-year-old, but had failed to get his head in front in 12 subsequent starts.
However, he has been placed in the Dante at York, the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh and the Coronation Cup at Epsom and brought serious class to proceedings in the All About Sunday Maiden Hurdle.
Making his first start for Joseph O’Brien, having previously been trained by his father Aidan, High Definition (9-2) was sent straight to the lead by JJ Slevin, who appeared keen to ensure the two-mile contest was a searching test of stamina.
