High Class Hero, Jade De Grugy and Gameofinches book Cheltenham Festival places at Punchestown

The champion trainer already has a tight grip on the antepost market for the three-mile novice event, with Ballyburn and Dancing City in line to take their chance next month, and it seems High Class Hero is likely to join them following a comfortable victory over stablemate Loughglynn in the QuinnBet Beginners Chase.

Sky Bet make the winner a 25/1 (NRNB) chance for the Grade 1 event at Cheltenham on day two of the Festival in a little less than three weeks' time.

“He did it nicely. The ground was quite testing as they had a lot of rain before racing,” said the champion trainer.

“He’s in the Brown Advisory. He would look that type of an animal and we’ll probably head in that direction.

“The other fella (Loughglynn) will probably stay at home and we’ll find something for him.”

WATCH: Mullins one-two as High Class Hero scores

Jade De Grugy justified 5/6 favouritism in the Grade 3 BetVictor Quevega Mares Hurdle, beating Mousey Brown by six lengths, and Betfair cut the Mullins representative to 11/4 from 5/1 for the top-class Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

“It was a lovely run, it was a nice comeback to racing,” said Mullins.

“Annie Power won this race before winning the Champion Hurdle a few years ago and it has been won in the past by a mare (Black Tears) before winning the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

“She had worked nicely at home and I was very happy with her coming here. She showed me today what she had showed me at home.

“I think she’ll improve a fair bit for the race, which leaves us in a good position going to Cheltenham. I’ve no ground issues with her. Carrying the weight she carried today against nice opposition, I think is a good sign."

WATCH: Jade De Grugy makes no mistake under Paul Townend

Mullins completed a treble on the card with point recruit Gameofinches, who bolted up in the Watch Every Race Live From Punchestown On Racing TV (Pro/Am) Flat Race.

Ridden by Patrick Mullins, the 8/15 favourite sauntered to the front in the home straight and came home with plenty in the tank, beating 9/4 chance Begorra Man.

Paddy Power were suitably impressed and cut Gameofinches to 4/1 (from 12/1) for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham.

“He did what I was hoping he could do. His home work has been nice, he showed on the track what he had been showing me at home,” said Mullins.

“I was very happy with the outcome and I’d imagine, if he recovers nicely from that race, he’ll go to the Cheltenham bumper.

“He’s a big horse and you never know how much it takes out of them until a week or 10 days after the race.

“He seems to have a nice temperament, in the parade ring before the race and in the winner’s enclosure afterwards, so that all helps when you are travelling across the water.

“He looks a real chasing type. We’ll see what happens next year, whether we’ll go over hurdles.

“He’s six now so we might go straight chasing with him, I’m not sure hurdling would do anything for his career but they are discussions for another day with his connections."

WATCH: Gameofinches makes big impression on Rules debut

Emotional win for William Munny

The Madigan Group Irish EBF Sheila Bourke Novice Hurdle went to Barry Connell's William Munny who scooted to a 15-length victory under jockey Sean Flanagan.

Third in a Grade 1 bumper at last season's Punchestown Festival, he was making it third time lucky over timber and the sponsors cut him to 16/1 for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle on the back of Thursday's easy breakthrough win.

William Munny's success also saw the antepost odds shorten on Kawaboomga, the Mullins-trained five-year-old who beat him at Fairyhouse towards the end of January. Kawaboomga is a best-priced 9/2 for the Turners Novices' Hurdle and generally 12s for the Supreme.

WATCH: William Munny wins maiden hurdle in good style

Owner-trainer Connell landed the traditional Festival curtain-raiser with Marine Nationale two years ago, a horse ridden by the late Michael O’Sullivan, who died aged 24 on Sunday as a result of the injuries he suffered in a fall at Thurles two weeks ago.

Punchestown’s Sunday fixture was cancelled and rescheduled as a mark of respect, with O’Sullivan’s funeral taking place on Wednesday. A minute’s silence was held before racing got under way.

An emotional Connell said: “The first thing I want to say is that we’re all thinking about Michael and his family today. This is the first winner in those colours since.

"This horse has been doing everything wrong in his hurdle races. He’s been way too keen, making mistakes and he’s still running to figures to suggest that he’s there or thereabouts winning a Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

“Today he settled away better and jumped better. He has so much natural ability this horse that he can’t understand why the riders want to take him back. He’s hardly having a blow there today, that was his last piece of work before the Supreme. He’s put himself right in the picture there.

“We (also) have Marine Nationale for the Champion Chase and Nine Graces for the Kim Muir. Marine Nationale came out of his last run at Leopardstown excellent. He’s improving 10lb every time he runs because he’s effectively a novice.

“I think he will step forward. He loves the spring and he’s a course and distance winner on the Old course and his temperament is bombproof. When he won the Supreme Novice it rained a lot the night before and the ground was tacky but better ground would be a help.

“I wouldn’t swap him for anything in the race, I think he’s definitely the best Irish horse going over there, whether he beats Jonbon or not is another matter but he’s in great nick."

Meanwhile, Gavin Cromwell's Springt De La Mare (9/2) made it two from two over fences in the Concept Colours Rated Novice Chase, winning by three lengths under Keith Donoghue.

“He jumped really well and it was a good performance,” said Cromwell.

“I was just saying to Keith there that we couldn’t win a maiden hurdle with him, but he’s taken to this better. He jumps really well and got through that ground well.

“The handicapper will have a bit of a say with that. He doesn’t qualify for some of the bigger handicaps yet, with only two runs, so I’m not really sure where we go now.”

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