Runaway festival winner A Plus Tard to step up to three miles at Punchestown

A Plus Tard, an impressive 16-length winner of the Close Brothers' Novices' Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last month, is set to try three miles for the first time on Tuesday in the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase at the Punchestown Festival.

A Plus Tard was raised 20lb to a mark of 160 in Ireland following his emphatic success over Tower Bridge at Cheltenham and that makes him the highest-rated entry in Tuesday's race, 1lb above RSA third Delta Work.

Speaking about the decision to up A Plus Tard in trip, trainer Henry de Bromhead said: "A Plus Tard will go for the three-mile race on Tuesday. It was tough call but that day at Punchestown, when Winter Escape went past him over two and a half miles, has always been in the back of my mind.

"It will be nice to see him try three miles for the first time and hopefully we've made the right choice."

De Bromhead heads to Punchestown with his team in top form following Honeysuckle's Grade 1 success at Fairyhouse last Sunday and a double at the track on Tuesday.

A Plus Tard went up a whopping 20lb for his impressive success at CheltenhamCredit: Mark Cranham

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