Concertista in perfect pitch as big guns dominate for Willie Mullins

As the weekends go by and Christmas gets closer, Willie Mullins is steadily unleashing the big guns, and there was plenty of evidence of that again as two of his Cheltenham Festival winners from March were part of a treble for the stable.

The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Hurdle, which was supposed to be run at the cancelled Easter festival here in April, had been downgraded from Grade 1 to Grade 2 status to the chagrin of some trainers. It proved a memorable contest though, and gave Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle winner Concertista a first victory on home soil.

She was impressive too, cruising alongside market rival Minella Melody between the final two hurdles under Paul Townend before quickening clear to score with plenty in hand.