Sprinter Sacre and Sizing Europe in unison at Punchestown© Photo Healy Racing
Brilliant two-miler Sprinter Sacre recorded a commanding victory in the Boylesports.com Champion Chase in front of an appreciative crowd at Punchestown.
Nicky Henderson's superstar, stretching his unbeaten record over fences to 10, was made to work harder than usual as Sizing Europe tried to make all in the Grade One contest.
The veteran refused to give in when Sprinter Sacre ranged up at the second-last and it was only on the run-in that the 1-9 favourite put the race to bed, forging five and a half lengths clear under Barry Geraghty.
The jockey was completing a big-race double after Jessie Harrington's Jezki (2-1) comprehensively turned the tables on his Cheltenham conqueror Champagne Fever in the Herald Champion Novice Hurdle.
Ruby Walsh tried to lead all the way on evens favourite Champagne Fever, but Geraghty was going best on the home turn on Jezki and zipped past on the run to the last to beat Ted Veale by an impressive 16 lengths.
There was plenty of drama in the day's third Grade One, the Growise Champion Novice Chase, with major players Dedigout Harry Topper and Boston Bob all exiting, and the race went to Mount Benbulben
Danny Mullins sent Gordon Elliott's 14-1 shot past Tofino Bay with two to jump and the eight-year-old cleared away to score by 22 lengths to initiate a double for the trainer, who won the concluding bumper with Very Wood (7-2 favourite).< Sizing Machine swept into the lead on the home turn in the bragbet.com Handicap Hurdle, but Paul Carberry cruised up on the Noel Meade-trained Il Fenomeno (16-1) and asserted for a half-length victory.
Willie Mullins got off the mark when Moyle Park (7-4 favourite) took charge half a mile out in the valuable Goffs Land Rover Bumper and answered Patrick Mullins' every call to beat Wrath Of Titans by three-quarters of a length.
Track specialist Enda Bolger landed the Kildare Hunt Club Fr Sean Breen Memorial Chase over the banks course again when 2010 winner Zest For Life (4-1) won by seven and a half lengths under Tim Donworth.
