'I think he's very smart' - stylish Impaire Et Passe impresses Paul Townend

Impaire Et Passe made it two out of two over hurdles in Ireland with an impressive display in the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle, a Grade 2 trainer Willie Mullins has used as a Cheltenham Festival springboard for superstars like Vautour and Douvan.

Whether the target for Impaire Et Passe will be the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle or Ballymore is the outstanding question, with Sky Bet cutting him to 11-2 (from 8) for the Supreme and to 6-1 (from 9) for the Ballymore.

In a mostly steadily run and quite tactical affair, Paul Townend had the 1-3 favourite close to the pace throughout and he took control in the straight to win going away by six and a half lengths from good yardstick The Model Kingdom.

There were eight lengths back to the previously unbeaten mare Shecouldbeanything, who cut out most of the running before weakening from the second-last.

The winner apparently does not show very much on the gallops so Townend was both pleased and impressed with the performance.

"As I said after he won at Naas, he does not show us that at home, but he showed a good turn of foot today," he said. "I was very happy with him. He jumped like a buck and the only hurdle he was slow at was the last.

"It's hard to know how good he is because he shows so little at home yet does it on the track. I think he's very smart and he gave me a great feel today.

"He jumped only four hurdles at Naas, but how he jumped there was very good and he didn't miss a beat today apart from the last, which I wouldn't worry about."

Asked about the drop back in trip to two miles here having won over two miles three furlongs the time before, Townend replied: "It was a worry and the ground was soft enough, but he showed pace out there. Wherever he goes I wouldn't mind being on his back."

Impaire Et Passe with Paul Townend and groom Aimee Morrissey after winning the Moscow FlyerCredit: Patrick McCann

Assistant trainer David Casey said: "He did it all right. Paul said he didn't do a huge amount in front and he had loads in the tank. He was a bit sharper than he was at Naas and he is going in the right direction.

"Jumping fences will be his forte. To come back in trip like he did was good as well, especially on the sharp inside track here, and he is still learning. He will have all the entries [for Cheltenham]."

Runner-up The Model Kingdom had some very useful form against mares coming into this, and she delighted her trainer Noel Meade.

"I would say there is every chance she'll go to Cheltenham for the mares' novice, the owners are mad keen to go," said Meade.

"I would say that was as good a run as she's had. The tongue-tie helped but the ground helped too. I think the ground at Thurles last time was probably too quick for her.

"We are very happy with that. I don't know if she'll get up the hill at Cheltenham, but there's only one way to find out."

Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (1.30, March 14)

Sky Bet: 5-6 Facile Vega, 7-2 Marine Nationale, 11-2 Impaire Et Passe 10 Tahmuras, 14 High Definition, Rare Edition, 20 bar

Ballymore Novices' Hurdle (1.30, March 15)

Sky Bet: 5-2 Hermes Allen, 6 Impaire Et Passe, Gaelic Warrior, Champ Kiely, 10 Facile Vega, 11 Grangeclare West, 12 Irish Point, 14 Inthepocket, 20 bar

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