Racing:Outlaw Pete provided trainer Enda Bolger and jockey JT McNamara with victory in an eventful opening contest at the Punchestown Festival.
Bolger has won the Kildare Hunt Club Fr. Sean Breen Memorial Chase over the cross country fences three times in the last 10 years with McNamara aboard for two of those victories.
The pair duly added another to their respective tallies as 5-1 shot Outlaw Pete survived some terrible interference when Leg Iron fell early on to stay on strongly and see off Wedger Pardy by 13 lengths in a race packed with incident.
Bolger’s Zest For Life was sent off the 9-4 favourite but HE crashed out early on in proceedings leaving the well-supported Let The Show Begin to hit the front. However, going to the fifth-last, Let The Show Begin took the wrong course and threw away his chance.
Punters must have thought the drama was over at that point with Theroadtocroker and Not To Pushed both travelling well but that pair failed to negotiate a tight turn before the second-last.
The duo missed the fence and were pulled up in what proved to be a controversial heat.
“JT is a wily old fox and let everything happen in front of him," Bolger said. “Zest For Life is OK and could run in the La Touche (on Thursday). This fellow is unlikely to run again this week.
“It was a funny old race but it’s good to have two to do the job.”
Shot From The Hip made it a double for owner JP McManus as he powered away from his rivals in the Grade One Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle.
Far Away So Close put the early pace to the race but Tony McCoy opted to maintain a watching brief on the Edward O’Grady-trainer winner.
Turning for home, McCoy made his move aboard the 11-2 shot and while favourite Hidden Universe tried to match keep tabs on him, he had no answer to the winner’s burst of acceleration.
Shot From The Hip pulled further clear in the straight, coming home a nine-length winner from Hidden Universe.
McCoy said: “It’s always nice to win (a Grade One) at the start of the week. The horse had been a bit disappointing but he’s produced his best run today.”
O’Grady said: “We think he’s a very good horse but my horses have been consistently inconsistent this season.
“It’s nice to see him come back and win this.”
Willie Mullins got an early winner on the board as the Paul Townend-ridden Johnny McGeeney (10-1) prevailed in a tight finish to the '3' Handicap Hurdle.
The six-year-old’s only previous win had come in a maiden hurdle but he shrugged off his relative inexperience to cling on to victory by a neck from 7-2 favourite Nearest The Pin.
Kicking on coming to the final flight Townend kept his mount going after an awkward leap to move six winners clear in his race with Davy Russell for the jockeys’ title.
“The experience he had jumping all winter stood him well,” said Mullins. “It’s probably the first time he’s had the decent ground that he wants.
“We may put him away now for Galway. He’s a summer horse and I suppose we’ll have a go at the Galway Hurdle, although today’s win probably won’t help him handicap wise.”