Mullins and Townend at double with Billericay Dickie

Billericay Dickie carried a lofty reputation into his Irish debut in the colts and geldings maiden hurdle at Punchestown and he was given a confident ride by Paul Townend.

Connections had expressed reservations about the heavy ground beforehand and Townend was happy to let the leaders get on with it over this 2m4f trip as he adopted a watching brief in third and fourth throughout.

The pair still had plenty to do in fourth after three out and weren't at their fluent best over the next as Beau Walking asserted for home. Townend soon eased his mount into third and switched him to the inner to make stealthy headway. They shot through on the inside of Beau Walking to lead just before the last and a good jump saw them land full of running.

The 8/11 favourite wasn't inconvenienced in bounding 11 lengths clear of Find A Fortune (9/2).

This brought up a double for Willie Mullins and Townend who took the opener with Anotherway (8/15f).

Mullins said: "I was delighted with that. I didn't think he'd go on that ground, but Paul said he handled it well.

“For a maiden, I thought he jumped very well and he could go wherever he wants.

“We'll look at a novice hurdle somewhere and we'll see if Paul thinks he's good enough for a race across the water. I'd like to get another run into him before we go there, if we go there.

“That was two-and-a-half, he's by New Bay and his dam won on the Flat over a mile-and-a-quarter. I wouldn't be going three miles with him, but he could stick around that trip or two-six.

“I might get another novice in him and then decide if he's good enough to go.”

Billericay Dickie won on the Flat in France before switching to Mullins.

Paddy Power made him 12/1 from 20/1 for the Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle and 16/1 from 20/1 for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle - both non runner money back.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson