Hill Society, beaten a whisker in Cheltenham's Arkle Trophy, reverted to the smaller obstacles in some style at Punchestown yesterday with an easy victory in the Knockadoo Hurdle.
Fifth in the 1997 Champion Hurdle, Hill Society had the rating to win easily and, despite a break since the spring, he also had the fitness, taking over from the pacesetting Swiss Tune in the straight and scoring by an eased-down length.
"He's had a good break for nearly the first time in his life, because he came from the flat and ran in the Galway Hurdle before going straight through last season," said trainer Noel Meade.
Hill Society will revert to fences now and the Murphys Gold Cup at Cheltenham is a possible objective. "Two miles and five could be a problem but he travels well around Cheltenham," Meade added.
However, the most impressive winner of the day was Tarfaa who won the second division of the Elverstown Maiden by a very comfortable margin from Khaysan.
"He's a half brother to I'm Supposin and, like him, is a big strong horse. He's in the Beresford Stakes but Sheikh Hamdan will decide if he runs," said Kevin Prendergast.
The first division went to the inform Niall McCullagh on Zinedine, while Almerina had too much finishing boot for the favourite, Catch The Dragon, in the Carnalway Maiden.
Ruby Walsh hit the 26 winner mark for the season when John Bailey's Royal Midyan pounced on the pace-setting Go For Grogan after the last in the Craddockstown Maiden Hurdle. That enabled the teenager to maintain his seven-winner lead over Hill Society's rider Paul Carberry in the jockeys' race.
An Tain Shioc set himself up for a winter campaign over fences with a smooth win under Anthony Ross in the Ingoldsby Chase, and Wonder Will He was three lengths too strong for Hazel's Tisara in the bumper.
Risk Of Thunder, owned by movie legend Sean Connery and trained in Limerick by Enda Bolger, will tomorrow begin his 72-hour journey to the Czech Republic for the gruelling Velka Pardubicka. The Punchestown banks specialist will travel across Europe by horsebox and is expected to arrive on Tuesday for the big race, which is run the following weekend.
Champion apprentice Eddie Ahern will have his first ride in France when partnering San Sebastian for Michael Grassick in tomorrow's Group One Prix du Cadran at Longchamp. Ahern has already won the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot last June on San Sebastian.
Lujain outclassed six opponents in the Saudi Arabian Airlines Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket yesterday, beating Bertoloni by four lengths.
