Bellshill showed talent and tenacity in equal measure to claim top honours in the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.
Winner of the Champion Bumper at this fixture 12 months ago, the Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old won his first three starts over hurdles before disappointing at Leopardstown in February and Cheltenham in March.
However, he bounced back to form when only narrowly denied at Aintree earlier this month and he was the 2-1 favourite for his latest Grade One assignment.
Ruby Walsh rode a patient race for much of the three-mile contest before allowing Bellshill to close on the leaders before the home turn.
Coney Island proved a willing opponent, but the Mullins runner dug deep to win the argument by a neck. Sandymount Duke finished third.
“In fairness to him he was tough. He pulled up like mad in front and I was thinking halfway up the run-in I might have been in front too soon,” said Walsh.
“It’s taken us a while to work out he wants a trip. He works with so much pace at home we got a bit confused with him, but we seem to have it right now.
“The trip didn’t bother me. The only worry I had was that he’d been to Cheltenham and Aintree, but he’s a very good horse and he’ll be a beautiful chaser.”
Mullins said: “It was a very brave ride from Ruby. He’d a lot of ground to make up at the stone wall and he sat and sat.
“That’s his third Festival run. He did the same last year, and came back and won here.
“I’m looking forward to going over fences next season. I know the owner would like to go for the World Hurdle but Shaneshill looks like he’ll go for that.
“He looks an RSA Chase type if he’s good enough.
“He was good over two miles on heavy ground in mid-winter but three miles seems to be his best trip now.”
Love affair
Meanwhile, Shamiran continued his love affair with Punchestown with a thrilling third victory in the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.
A field of 25 runners went to post for the opening race on day two and despite having won this prize in 2012 and 2015, Shamiran was a 16-1 shot following a disappointing run of form.
Dermot McLoughlin’s 11-year-old clearly relished the return to a sounder surface, knuckling down in the hands of Niall Kelly to see off 7-1 favourite Go Darsi Go by a head.
Shannak and Candlestick finished third and fourth respectively.
McLoughlin said: “He obviously loves it around here. The ground is the key to him as he wasn’t able to handle it over the winter.
“He enjoyed himself, travelled and jumped well. Once he has that ground he can mix it between hurdles and fences.”
Back on track
In the second race of the day Woodland Opera got his career back on track with victory in the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle.
Jessica Harrington’s Leopardstown bumper winner looked a smart recruit to the jumping game when making a successful start at Navan in November, but finished last in the Future Champions Novice Hurdle and was well-beaten once more on his return to Leopardstown in January.
Having been given a breathing operation and plenty of time to recover, Woodland Opera was a 9-2 chance for his return in this lesser contest and responded to Robbie Power’s urgings to get up and beat Val De Ferbet by two lengths.
The in-form Harrington said: “He was very tight to the second-last and was not really going anywhere. But he got out and rolling, and he pinged the last.
“He had a wind operation after running at Leopardstown and it seems to have worked. He just couldn’t breathe. He’ll definitely go chasing next year.”
