Champagne Fever© Photo Healy Racing
Champagne Fever bounce back to winning ways with a stylish victory in the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park.
Willie Mullins' charge had crashed out at the last, in dramatic fashion, when disputing with Don Cossack at Thurles last month but showed no ill-affects as he produce a tidy round of jumping today.
Paul Townend tracked leader Bright New Dawn before letting his mount hit the lead at the eighth in the two-and-a-half mile contest.
His rivals were stacked up behind him turning for home but the 8/15 favourite burned them off going to the second last and only had to be nudged out briefly on the run-in to secure a cosy four-and-a-quarter length victory. Texas Jack chased him home without ever looking a threat to the winner.
Mullins said afterwards:- "That's a nice confidence builder. It's a nice prize to win at our local track and from our local company. It's a very good prize on our doorstep.
"That ground is not really suitable, it's quite tacky but he did what he was supposed to do.
"He jumped brilliantly and just fiddled the last but that was just Paul being careful as he had the race won. I said to Paul beforehand don't make it if you can.
"I'm just happy to be going to Cheltenham on a positive note, and I'd imagine he will either run in the Ryanair or the Queen Mother."
Townend told Attheraces: "He showed no effects of the fall and enjoyed himself. He started winging fences down the back so I let him stride on and he's done it nicely in the end.
"They were probably expecting us to make it but I didn't want to give him a grueller today. He settled away nicely and got into a nice rhythm. It was tactical enough but thankfully he came out on top.
"He acts around Cheltenham which is a big plus there. That will leave him right and hopefully he'll put up a good performance wherever they go with him."
Paddy Power clipped the winner a point for the Champion Chase and he is now a 5/1 shot.
Boylesports go 4/1 for the Champion Chase (from 5/1) and 5/1 for the Ryanair (from 6/1) while Betfair are 9/2 for the Champion Chase (from 6/1) and 7/1 for the Ryanair (from 8/1).
(Additional reporting by Alan Magee)
