Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott landed two winners apiece on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival, with the Mullins-trained Un De Sceaux landing the feature race of the day, the Punchestown Champion Chase.
While the 11-year-old was impressive in beating stable companion Min, the most impressive performer of the day was undoubtedly Elliott's Delta Work. With Davy Russell aboard, the Elliott runner romped home to win by 12 lengths.
The nature of the win cemented the six-year-old's credentials as a Gold Cup contender next year and made up for disappointingly failing to land the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
In the opening Grade One of the day, Willie Mullins saddled Klassical Dream, another Cheltenham winner, who made another career statement of intent, claiming the Champion Novice Hurdle. Meanwhile, Elliot landed the Bumper with Festival D'ex while Joseph O'Brien was successful with yet another four-year-old, Front View, in the Flat Race.
Smaller trainers also got the opportunity to enter the winner's enclosure with Enda Bolger and John McConnell saddling Blue Templar and Pearl Of The West respectively.
The Punchestown Gold Cup highlights tomorrow's action as two stars of Willie Mullins' yard, Al Boum Photo and Kemboy, battle it out in a bid to become Closutton's true superstar. Al Boum Photo famously landed the trainer his first Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, though he still isn't guaranteed to go off favourite after Kemboy blew his opposition away at Aintree earlier this month.
