Racing: Paul Nicholls has made a good start to the season and he bagged another big prize as Dear Villez prevailed in the Ladbrokes.com Munster National at Limerick.
After a four-timer at Chepstow on Saturday, the British champion trainer picked up the feature event with the unexposed six-year-old.
A faller in the Jewson Novices' Chase at Cheltenham last March, Ruby Walsh's mount jumped impeccably and receiving nearly a stone from Mister Top Notch, the 7-4 favourite drew three lengths clear on the run-in.
Nicholls has stated his intention to have more runners in Ireland's biggest races this term and Dear Villez's success prompted William Hill to cut him to 11-4 from 3-1 for the Irish trainers' championship.
Dan Skelton, Nicholls' assistant, said: "Ruby rode the horse brilliantly, he was in the right place the whole way. It was a gutsy and decent performance.
"I've been on the phone to Paul and he said there were no immediate plans but he's absolutely delighted and he jumped brilliantly for a relative novice."
Nicholls was out of luck in the Grade Three PricewaterhouseCoopers Chase, with even-money favourite Marodima finishing only third behind Finger Onthe Pulse.
Winner of the Jewson last season, he was expected to find the two-mile-one-furlong trip on the short side but never put a foot wrong for Paddy Flood, standing in for the injured Barry Geraghty.
Winning trainer Tom Taaffe said: "You don't win any bad races at Cheltenham and he proved that today.
"He jumped very well and he has schooled well at home. He'll come on a good deal for this though and will go for the Killultagh Properties Chase at Down Royal (on November 1st) next.
Beau Michael, a three-time winner over hurdles last year, justified 2-1 favouritism for Walsh in the Michael Punch & Partners Hurdle.
Ado McGuinness' four-year-old saw his form tail off somewhat last season but after a recent run on the level, he had no trouble in seeing off Silverhand by an impressive eight lengths.
"This was the only four-year-old hurdle race between now and Christmas for him," said McGuinness. "The ground is the key to him, he loves it soft and he jumps really well.
"He might go back on the flat for a handicap on his next run. He may be even better over further — he'll definitely stay two and a half miles."
Walsh also scored a comfortable victory on 12-1 chance Reens Pike in the Pat Keogh BMW Handicap Hurdle, another intended ride for Geraghty, making it a 106-1 treble.
Paul Nolan's Alpha Ridge followed up a win a Listowel last month by making all to land the Newenham Mulligan Novice Hurdle.
The 8-1 chance pulled clear up the straight to beat Conclave by six lengths.
"He's come on a nice bit from his win at Listowel," said Nolan. "This didn't look a savage contest and with the good prize money, we decided to take our chance.
"He will stay hurdling for the moment as long as the ground stays soft. A possible target could be the Pertemps qualifier at Leopardstown but he's really a chaser in the making."