A FLAWLESS first season over fences was signed off in some style by Colm Murphy’s most dependable mare Impervious, who proved in a different league to her rivals in the Grade 2 Hanlon Concrete Irish EBF Glencarraig Lady Francis Flood Mares Chase.

Some horses have the potential to run below their best come the end of the season at Punchestown, but the J.P. McManus-owned seven-year-old arguably saved her best performance of the season for last.

The 8/11 favourite beat Allegorie De Vassy by two and a half lengths when delivering a Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase success at the Cheltenham Festival, and that margin was extended to 17 and a half lengths on this occasion. Instit split the pair here with a respectable run from the front.

In truth, Brian Hayes, who has ridden the Shantou mare in each of her last nine starts, kept it uncomplicated and essentially had the race wrapped up soon after the second-last.

Race sponsors Paddy Power cut the emphatic winner to 6/4 favourite (from 2/1) to follow up in next year’s Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham, but connections could be tempted to take on the geldings in the Ryanair Chase or Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup next spring if she continues her impressive improvement.

“She’s been an absolute revelation,” said Murphy, who was recording his first Punchestown Festival success since Rye Martini a decade earlier.

“It’s amazing how much she’s improved from run to run. She’s stronger now than she was at any stage during the season, and it’s fantastic to see. She seems to be settling better and isn’t as hard on herself as before.

“She has loads of options and you can dream away over the summer. I’m sure J.P. and Frank [Berry, racing manager] will make a plan and will slot in with the rest of their horses. We’re more than happy to go along with that. She’s one of those who can go up and down in trip - that doesn’t matter. She’s just a proper one, I’d say.

“You’re always afraid of the mark Cheltenham might leave on one coming back here but she seems to be getting better. She has loads of ability and hopefully she’ll keep improving.

“She’s pure genuine. Without exaggerating, she’d go through a wall for you if you pointed her at it. You don’t come across ones like her too often, but when you do it’s pretty special. She seems to be one of those.”

Kilcruit runs riot on handicap debut

Kilcruit roared back to form with a blistering front-running display to land the Grade A EMS Copiers Novice Handicap Chase - extending Willie Mullins’ outstanding record in the €100,000 prize.

Paul Townend took no prisoners on the 2021 Punchestown Champion Bumper winner, appearing to be a class above his rivals as he exploited an attractive mark of 148 to deliver a 15-length rout.

Margaret Masterson’s eight-year-old relished the drop in class from Grade 1 company and rattled off the decent ground to score as the 11/4 favourite. It marked Mullins’ 11th win in the race since 2003 and his seventh across the last eight runnings, with the winner now in contention for a tilt at the Tote Galway Plate.

Assistant trainer David Casey said: “He was very good. I think the drying ground helped him a lot; his work in the last two weeks, since the gallop dried at home, has been very good. He was probably a graded horse against handicappers.

“He jumps for fun and gallops away. Paul said he was in control at all stages. He was in a beautiful rhythm. We could have a look at the Plate or something like that, you’d imagine that would be the ideal type of race. We’ll see how he is. Hopefully he can improve if taking confidence from this.”

Bishopscourt Cup joy for Carr

Trainer John Carr picked quite the stage to register his first winner under rules in 1,818 days as Fr Gilligansvoyge pulled out all the stops to land the Stanley Asphalt Hunters Chase for the Bishopscourt Cup at 25/1.

Ridden by Pat Taaffe, in the colours of Richard Farrell, the 10-year-old proved very weak in the market but was said to be quietly fancied by connections after the form of his last point-to-point win was franked on Tuesday by Ladies Cup winner Three By Two, who dead-heated with Fr Gilligansvoyge at Borris House last month.

The winner held a rating of just 66 but had enough in reserve to fend off the Peter Flood-trained Matthews Hill by two and a half lengths.

Carr said: “The Punchestown Festival has always been a big thing for us so it’s brilliant to have a winner here. I went to school with Richard and we’ve been friends ever since. We’ve had several horses together over the years but never any luck so it’s nice to get this. Richard also lives in Bishopscourt House in Kill, where the cup originates from.

“You never like to be shouting too loud but you’d have to have been quietly confident after the form of his last start got boosted earlier in the week. There’s a hunter chase for him at Downpatrick in another 10 days for him and I’d imagine that’s where he’ll go.”