Just three days after leading up the Gold Cup second Commanche Court at Cheltenham, Gary Hutchinson tasted double success at Punchestown yesterday.
The Tramore-born claimer brought his total for the season to nine, and his career total to 13, with victories on the Ted Walsh-trained pair, Native Leisure and Some Buzz.
Native Leisure picked up a third course win with a defeat of Quality First in the Tylo Handicap but the attendance really got stuck into Some Buzz, who was backed from 6 to 1 to 7 to 2 favourite for the April Handicap Hurdle.
There wasn't much doubt about the result either as from three out, Hutchinson, 20, was quite clearly in control and Some Buzz ran out a five-length winner.
"She didn't get the trip last time and she'd bottom weight in a poor race here," Walsh said.
The Grand National-winning trainer did have a reverse however as the Queen's Vase winner, Dalampour, was beaten by Spirit Leader on his hurdling debut.
Dalampour settled well and jumped well but couldn't cope with the winner on the soft ground, leaving Jessica Harrington a very happy trainer.
Spirit Leader had been runner -up on her six previous starts and Harrington said: "Thank God, I thought she was going to be second again. This is not before time."
Willie Mullins reported his star bumper horse, Alexander Milenium, will not appear again this season but Boneyarrow will go to Fairyhouse on the back of a smooth defeat of Takagai in the Locks Hurdle.
Another trainer-jockey combination in double form were Dessie Hughes and Kieran Kelly, who scored in the two chases with Wolseley Lord and What's The Score.
The latter was a 16 to 1 shot but had too much in the closing stages for Frezenium and the warm favourite Kimberley.
Martin Pipe claimed yesterday that Valiramix - put down following last Tuesday's Smurfit Champion Hurdle - might well have been the next Istabraq had he not suffered such a cruel fate.
He said: "It was very sad that poor Valiramix broke his shoulder and, alas, had to be put down. He could have been the next Istabraq, but who knows now? "
