NICHOLS CANYON BACKED up his favouritism in the Punchestown fog and won the Grade 1 Morgiana Hurdle for a second successive year.
Ruby Walsh steered the 8/13 shot to win Sunday’s feature at the Naas track for Willie Mullins, beating Barry Geraghty and Jer’s Girl into second by a comfortable 12 lengths.
Ivanovich Gorbatov was five lengths further back in third with the two other Mullins runners, Sempre Medici and Simenon, in fourth and fifth.
Earlier, Identity Thief continued his 100% start to life over fences as he made it two wins from two with victory in the Craddockstown Novice Chase.
The 2/5 favourite was produced by Bryan Cooper just before the final fence and eased down to win by a length from Ordinary World and Attribution, a 1-2-3 for trainer Henry de Bromhead.
The Florida Pearl Novice Chase was won by A Toi Phil (3/1), ridden by Ruby Walsh for Gordon Elliot in the colours of Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud.
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