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Killultagh Vic made a successful return from 714 days off the track with a determined display in the Free Festival Upgrade Ticket Offer Hurdle at Punchestown.
The Willie Mullins-trained gelding claimed the notable scalp of Thistlecrack on his latest appearance over hurdles at the 2015 Punchestown Festival.
However, he has been sidelined by injury since winning a Grade Two novice chase at Leopardstown in January 2016 in extraordinary circumstances, almost coming to grief at the final fence only for Ruby Walsh to perform a miraculous recovery and secure the win.
Despite his mammoth absence, Killultagh Vic was the 9-10 favourite on his long-awaited comeback and while his jumping left plenty to be desired, he was still travelling strongly turning for home.
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Paul Townend took dead aim at his rivals in the straight and his mount safely negotiated the remaining obstacles and finished strongly after the last to score by two and three-quarter lengths from Ex Patriot.
Mullins said: “His engine is in tact all right, but his hurdle jumping brain hasn’t changed much!
“Hopefully everything will be all right over the next week and we’ll probably look for something over fences for him the next time. He’s not a natural hurdler.
“The main thing is just to recover from this race and look for a target after that.
“I sort of wondered whether I’d stay hurdling with him this season, but the way he jumped there he’s not going to step up in class much more.
“We schooled him over fences the other day, before Leopardstown, and maybe that’s what was in his head, but he hasn’t the best reputation as a hurdler. We’ll probably look for a chase.
“The Kinloch Brae in Thurles might come too soon. Maybe the Red Mills Chase (Gowran Park) might suit better.
“Today’s job is done and the next job is to see how he comes out of the race, then we’ll look at something after that.
“The conditions of this race suited. We entered him in other races over Christmas but these conditions suited and he needed all those weight advantages to win.”
Comprehensive
Earlier Monbeg Notorious made it third time lucky over fences with a comprehensive victory in the Buy Your 2018 Annual Membership Beginners Chase.
With Some Neck a significant non-runner, the Gordon Elliott-trained Monbeg Notorious was the 8-11 favourite to get off the mark after runner-up finishes at Gowran Park and Fairyhouse.
Davy Russell kept things simple aboard the Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding, sending him straight to the front from the off and while he gave his supporters a scare at the very first obstacle, in the main he fenced fluently.
In Some Neck's absence, Willie Mullins relied on Augustin and he emerged as the main threat from the home turn.
However, Monbeg Notorious was not for catching and passed the post seven and a half lengths to the good.
Elliott said: “He’s a big long-distance chaser. I doubt if he’ll run in graded company and we’ll look at some of the long-distance handicap chases on soft ground and give him a rattle at one of those.
“Hopefully he’ll make into a nice handicapper.”
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