Monty's Star and Rachael Blackmore clear the final fence© Photo Healy Racing
Henry de Bromhead's Monty's Star overturned Fairyhouse form with Three Card Brag to land the opening beginners' chase in Punchestown.
Three Card Brag was to second to Corbetts Cross in Fairyhouse and had Monty's Star a place behind in third, but the latter was able to turn the tables today.
Three Card Brag led throughout under Jack Kennedy, but the pair had Monty's Star and Rachael Blackmore in close attendance.
Monty's Star adopted a stalking role and jumped the slicker of the two. He was poised to challenge and Rachael Blackmore sent him into a narrow lead two out. He then asserted on the run to the last and galloped home by five and a-half lengths at 9/4 from the 4/11 favourite.
The other three horses finished well adrift in a race that boiled down to a match from a long way out.
Blackmore said: “Jumping is his biggest asset and, even though it’s tough ground to jump out of, he did it well.
“He stayed on and galloped out well to the line. We didn’t go a mad gallop, but it was a good performance on tough ground.
"He’s improved from the last day.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
