Pleasant Company (Ruby Walsh, far-side) and Montys Meadow (Davy Russell) battle it out© Photo Healy Racing
It was easy to see where Ruby Walsh's "he jumped really well," assessment came from after the victory of the Malcolm Denmark-owned and Willie Mullins-trained Pleasant Company The Presenting gelding justified favouritism on debut over racecourse fences in the Buy Your 2016 Annual Membership Beginners Chase at Punchestown.
Always to the fore in this three mile one furlong event, the former John Costello-trained point-to-point winner finished out his race better than he had been doing over flights to defeat second favourite Montys Meadow by two and a quarter lengths.
Pleasant Company went off an 11/8 chance from 13/8 on track and his win was achieved after a fantastic tussle with Montys Meadow from before the straight. They left third placer Altiepix all of twenty one lengths back in third.
"I looked for a good jump at the second last and got it, and he out-battled the other one from there. Thankfully I was on a nice stride at the last, and he stayed on well," elaborated Walsh.
Mullins later remarked: "He did it well and showed a lot of bravery. He'll get an entry in the RSA and the four mile race."
(AM & EM)
