Saint Sam makes all in Punchestown win

Two Cheltenham Festival heroes, a Cesarewitch winner and a Grand National runner-up lined up in the Tote Proudly Sponsoring At Punchestown Hurdle – but the race was dominated by Saint Sam.

Reverting to hurdles having been highly tried as a novice chaser last season, the Willie Mullins-trained runner was soon in an early advantage and it was one he would not relinquish.

Charles Byrnes' Run For Oscar, who won the Cesarewitch in October, tried to keep tabs but he was treading water by the time he reached the last flight and it was Ted Walsh’s Grand National second Any Second Now who stayed on well for second over a trip far short of his best.

Summerville Boy, the 2018 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner, ran well enough in fourth on his first outing for Henry de Bromhead but Jeff Kidder, Noel Meade’s 2021 Fred Winter scorer, could finish only seventh behind the Paul Townend-ridden even-money favourite.

"We decided to come back over hurdles with him and it might be the right thing to do going out in trip with him. He likes to get on with the job so Paul let him get on with it today," said Mullins.

"He put in some tremendous jumps and I think if he settles a little better over hurdles that might be his career for the near future. Otherwise I’ll mix it with him over fences.

"I want to get him out in trip. He’s bred to stay further, but he races a bit keenly. I think he’ll settle down once he gets used to racing over a longer trip."

Townend also adopted front-running tactics on Sinbad Le Marin in the Play The Tote Exacta On Every Race 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle but he faded into third behind Andy Slattery’s Sir Allen (7-2).

"He was my only runner over Christmas and was one we thought might win," said Slattery.

"He’s a nice horse and since the first