PAUL Townend returned from a superb six winners at the Cheltenham Festival to partner Mister Policeman in the Grade 3 Pierce Molony Memorial Novice Chase and the highly regarded six-year-old duly landed odds of 3/10 in the Grade 3 feature.

Trained by Willie Mullins for Rich and Susannah Ricci, he was sent to the front before three out in this near two-mile-two-furlong event and was ridden out by the champion jockey on the run-in to repel the challenge of Thecompanysergeant by a length and a half.

“He jumped fantastic for a horse that his jumping probably let him down in the past,” said Townend. “I still think he can go out in trip but the way he’s jumping now is getting him through. He got a lot of confidence from the last day, and he’s built on that again today. Hopefully he can keep building, but he has a bit to go to fulfil what he was supposed to be.”

Jack Kennedy maintained a lead of three (110-107) over Townend in the jump jockeys’ championship after Shannon Royale landed the conditions hurdle over just short of two miles and seven furlongs.

Trained by Gordon Elliott for Robcour, the Walk In The Park gelding was about three lengths clear before the last but needed to be driven right out in the closing stages to hold off Summerville Boy by a neck.

“He has plenty of ability but he has his own ideas about things,” said Kennedy of the 9/4 winner. “He’s done it well enough but was fairly idle in front. He jumped the last well and was always going to hold on. He stays well and a bit of company is a help on him.”

SOMETHING Abouther hails from a family that has served Padraig Roche well and the 4/1 shot completed the trio of bumper/hurdle/chase wins when taking the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase.

The odds-on Walk With Paul had built up a sizeable lead three out but was reeled in before the last by Aidan Kelly’s mount who kept on strongly on the run-in to beat Pebble Bleu by seven and a half lengths.

“She’s a homebred mare that won a bumper and the lads (Shanahan/Magnier/MacLennan) were kind enough to buy her,” said the Curragh trainer. “She’s been the unluckiest mare with little setbacks here and there, nothing too serious but we never really got a clear run with her.

“She’s very versatile ground wise but might have a date in the breeding shed now as she has a great page.”

The Flemensfirth mare is a sister to listed winner Slip Of The Tongue and a half-sister to four other winners.

Lillian Bland provided Cappoquin owner/trainer Niall Hennessy with his second winner under Rules when prominent throughout in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase, drawing clear on the run-in under Richie Deegan to beat Friends N Commerce by seven lengths.

“It took a while but it’s great to get her head in front,” said Hennessy of the well-supported 9/1 winner. “She was second to Mighty Jeremy, who went on to win a few races, on similar ground at Clonmel last year. I’d say that’s what she wants and two and a half is her trip.”

Amateur rider Alan O’Sullivan was another to record his second winner under Rules when partnering Cloudy Fountain to take the Leugh Handicap Hurdle.

The James Reaney-owned 15/2 chance headed Chance The Robin approaching the final flight and kept on well to beat that rival by two and three-quarter lengths.

“Off a light weight was a big thing today and we thought she’d love the (heavy) ground,” said O’Sullivan. “I rode her to win a point-to-point at Inch but she doesn’t really jump her fences well, so I don’t know if you’d see her over fences on the track.

“That’s my second winner under Rules and I’ve 17 point-to-points as well. I’m in college studying bioscience so that’s the priority for the next couple of years.”