Dedigout and Davy Russell© Photo Healy Racing
Grade One-winning novice hurdler Dedigout could hardly have made a more impressive start over fences as he dismissed the opposition at Punchestown.
Sent off the 2-9 favourite for the Buy Punchestown Tickets On Facebook Beginners Chase after a campaign that included victory in the Champion Novice Hurdle at the track in April, the six-year-old jumped soundly all the way for Davy Russell.
Tony Martin's charge had only Beeverstown for company as the race developed and that one was well beaten when he took a tired fall two out, leaving Dedigout to coast in by 34 lengths in the testing conditions.< Banjaxed Girl (2-1 favourite) had some decent form in the book over fences and got off the mark with a comfortable victory in the Punchestown Annual Membership 2013 Mares Beginners Chase.
Robbie Power just about made all on Lady Fowler's eight-year-old, who shrugged off only danger Carrig Millie after the second-last and was not threatened as Oscars Business stayed on late for second, three lengths in arrears.
Boots Madden and his jockey son Slippers teamed up to take the www.punchestown.com For Better Value Handicap Chase with last month's course winner Highdownhill (7-2 favourite), who made relentless late progress to score by half a length from Harpsy Cord
TJ Nagle's Just A Par (9-4), recent winner of a point-to-point, took the Vote In The Childrens Referendum On 10th November Maiden Hurdle, travelling prominently all the way and asserting between the final two flights to score by seven lengths under Tom Doyle.
There was a desperately tight finish to the Panoramic Restaurant Handicap Hurdle and it went to Tim Doyle's Mr Eko (9-1), the mount of Rob Jones, who just held on by a short head as hard-driven favourite Grange lunged late.
Julie Weston's Vic Chic (6-1) took over going to the final flight under Martin Ferris and beat Tyrone Tiger by four and a half lengths in the Follow Punchestown On Facebook Handicap Hurdle.
