Dinoblue and Mark Walsh tackle the final fence© Photo Healy Racing
Just the three horses completed the Grade 1 Paddy's Rewards Club Chase in Leopardstown and it was Dinoblue who led home a clean sweep for owner JP McManus and trainer Willie Mullins.
Gentleman De Mee led and raced nicely clear over this 2m1f trip, but certainly didn't get away from the tracking Dinoblue.
Dinoblue had plenty in the tank and took much closer order after the penultimate fence. Mark Walsh's mount swept into the lead turning for home and took a few lengths out of Gentleman De Mee before the last.
Dinoblue wasn't fluent there, but had the race in the bag as she kept on to close it out by seven and a-half lengths at 9/4 from the 11/2 runner-up.
McManus' Saint Roi plodded on for a remote third, some 39 lengths off the runner-up.
This gave Mullins an across-the-card double as Judicieuse Allen also took the opener in Limerick.
Mullins said: “Gentleman De Mee set a great pace in front and jumped fantastic. I wondered at one stage would she (Dinoblue) be able to stay jumping with him, but she held her jumping together.
“When he took a blow, she kept galloping and she is improving all the time. I’m very happy with that.”
Jockey Mark Walsh said: "She's brilliant and jumping is her biggest asset, she jumped brilliantly today bar the last. She just got in underneath the last, but she makes lengths at her fences.
"She loves jumping and she sees a fence and attacks it - she is a joy to ride.
"They put themselves right and they see a stride and they want to go for it, so it is a big help."
On the ground, he added: "It is soft, it is a lot slower than yesterday. I haven't ridden on the hurdle track yet, but it is soft ground and it is going to take a bit of getting."
Paddy Power made Dinoblue 11/4 favourite from 7/2 joint favourite for the Mares' Chase at Cheltenham, and 12/1 from 33/1 for the Champion Chase.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
