'Very special' Impervious follows up brave Cheltenham win with stunning display in Grade 2

Impervious continued her upward trajectory when she followed up her brave Cheltenham performance with an 11-length success in the Grade 2 Hanlon Concrete Mares Chase under Brian Hayes for trainer Colm Murphy.

The seven-year-old is now unbeaten in five chase starts and is seemingly thriving on her racing, with each win proving more impressive than the last. 

Hayes's mount was always travelling with plenty of verve as she jumped for fun behind the front-running Instit, and a flying leap at the second-last was enough for the rider to let her coast into the lead.

Two agile leaps at the final two fences confirmed victory and she was eased down in the finish ahead of Instit with Allegorie De Vassy a further six and a half lengths back in third.

Murphy said: "There’s every option with her. I’m sure JP [McManus] and Frank Berry [racing manager] will have a plan and she'll slot in with the rest of theirs. You’re always afraid what mark Cheltenham has left on them, but she seems to be getting better.

"Hopefully she keeps improving and she has learned a lot and settled better. She is genuine. Without any exaggeration she would run through a wall for you and is one of those horses that you don’t come across very often, but when you do they’re very special."

Straightforward for Kilcruit

Kilcruit bolted up in the €100,000 EMS Copiers Novice Handicap Chase to give Willie Mullins his fifth successive win in the contest having gone off the well-backed 11-4 favourite. 

It was all pretty straightforward for the eight-year-old as he jumped fluently from the front and had all his rivals in trouble turning for home, despite Paul Townend not asking his mount for maximum effort at any stage.

A less-than-fluent leap at the second-last did not halt his momentum and he popped the last securely to career away for a 15-length victory over the Eoin Griffin-trained Jody Ted, with Life In The Park finishing third for Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore.

Assistant trainer David Casey said: "He was very good and the dry ground is a big help to him. He was probably a Graded horse in a handicap. He jumps for fun and Paul said he was in control at all times. 

"We might have a look at the Galway Plate – you’d imagine that would be the ideal race to look at."

It's oh so easy for Paul Townend and Kilcruit as they coast to victory in the novice handicap chaseCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Fr Gilligansvoyge toughs it out 

Fr Gilligansvoyge broke his maiden to land the Bishopscourt Cup for trainer John Carr and jockey Pat Taaffe.

The ten-year-old put in a determined performance as the Peter Flood-trained Matthews Hill had the slight advantage going to the final fence, but Fr Gilligansvoyge proved too powerful for his rival as he stayed on strongly to score by two and a half lengths.

Carr said: "Punchestown is always a big deal for us. Richard [Farrell, owner] was in school with me many years ago. I’ve had several horses for himself and his late father Dick over the years and we never had any luck. Unfortunately Dick passed away about 18 months ago so it’s nice to win this. 

"He dead-heated with the horse who won the Ladies Cup on Tuesday [Three By Two] last month so we were quietly confident."

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