Eachtotheirown springs 16-1 surprise for Barry Connell

Eachtotheirown made every yard to win the Grade One PRL Champion Novice Hurdle on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival.

Sean Flanagan immediately sent the seven-year-old to the head of the field and the 16-1 shot never saw another rival as he galloped home by four and a quarter lengths from the staying-on Blake.

Favourite El Cairos was the first to lay down a challenge two flights out but could not keep pace with the Barry Connell inmate and was soon treading water, as Eachtotheirown saw off Blake and Le Labo on the level with the Gordon Elliott-trained El Cairos only fourth.

The winner had only beaten one home in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, a run that left Connell to change tactics.

He explained: “He was rank the last day so the obvious thing to do was to leave him off in front today and he got a freebie. That is a good horse, he’s only had a handful of runs over hurdles but he is a chaser and we’ve had to wait for him as he is a big stamp of a horse.

“He was like a chaser jumping his hurdles today and has a fair engine.”

Paddy Power gave Eachtotheirown a 40-1 quote for the Arkle, and Connell confirmed: “The Arkle Chase is to the forefront of my mind for him next season as he is an out-and-out two-miler who doesn’t like being restrained. He has been a slow burner and they went no gallop in the Supreme the last day, and to be fair to Sean, he left him to coast home and he came here a fresh horse.

“Next season he will come back for a beginners’ chase before the ground gets bottomless and then go to Leopardstown twice before Cheltenham.”

Kalix Delabarriere charged clear on the run for home to take the Listed Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle.

I’m Slippy jumped the final flight with a slender advantage over Kalix Delabarriere and Messerschmitt, but the Willie Mullins-trained Kalix Delabarriere (10-1) quickly put the race to bed on the run-in, pulling four lengths clear of I’m Slippy.

Mullins said: “It was fantastic for Sean Cleary-Farrell and the owners to win a big handicap hurdle at the Fairyhouse festival and come back to do that at Punchestown, in that sort of style. We might have to up him in class, although I think we will put him away now and come back chasing next season.

“He disappointed me two years ago when I thought he would make a really good bumper horse, but it has taken us another 18 months to get him right. He is by Galiway and he’s probably not what the breeders had in mind for him, but is he is a lovely big type and has that kick at the end of his races.”