Dreal Deal and Simon Torrens pictured on their way to victory© Photo Healy Racing
Dreal Deal made all under Simon Torrens and outclassed his six rivals in the feature at Wexford, the Poolcourt Novice Chase.
A Grade 2 winner over flights when in the care of Ronan McNally, the nine-year-old registered a first chase success at Down Royal on his penultimate start.
A respectable sixth at the Punchestown Festival when last seen, the John McConnell-trained bay was sent off a 5/2 chance (7/2 earlier) this afternoon.
Sent straight to the front, the now nine-time winner jumped well throughout and readily stretched clear from the second last, coming home eight-lengths to the good for owners Mark Devlin, Philip Smith, Nigel O'Hare and Claire Wylie.
Returned the 10/11 favourite (6/4 early) Magic Tricks filled the runner-up spot under Jody McGarvey for Gordon Elliott, while Summer Tide was another four-and-a-quarter lengths back in third.
"He was mightily impressive, he was a class horse back in the day," Torrens enthused.
"He got his head in front at Down Royal over two-and-a-half on yielding ground and I thought yielding suited him. I thought he ran a big race the last day. A lot went wrong but it was a E100,000 handicap and I thought the ground was probably gone a bit on the soft side for him there.
"The ground probably wasn't ideal for him here today but it mightn't have been the best race. John is in France but I was chatting to him earlier and said if there was no pace that I might just buck out there and let him lob away and it worked out.
"I was always happy, he jumped great and done it easy. I'll leave plans up to the owners and John now. Hopefully he can kick on from here."
Earlier on the mark at Navan with Stanhope Dreal Deal was completing an across the card double for McConnell, who was in attendance at Auteuil where stable star Mahler Mission finished a highly creditable fourth in the French Champion Hurdle.
