Mr Fiftyone puts in a great jump at Punchestown© Photo Healy Racing
A prodigious leap at the last ensured Mr Fiftyone justified 2/1 favouritism in the featured Panoramic Restaurant Handicap Chase at Punchestown.
Jessica Harrington's seven-year-old gelding tanked along just off Draycott Place before jumping into the lead at the third last.
Draycott Place came back at him on the inner sweeping round the home turn but Mr Fiftyone was more nimble at the second last and was ridden by Robbie Power to lead by half a length at the last.
He soared over that fence and forged on strongly to beat Draycott Place (11/2) by two-and-a-half lengths.
This gave Robbie Power a double after he also took the opener on Double Speak
“He was good and loves that type of ground,” Jessica Harrington said.
“He's probably a little bit stronger than last year when he wasn't quite getting home.
“He'll have a summer campaign — anything over two miles. He definitely prefers a big galloping track and he'll come back here on June 1st for the conditions chase.
“He jumps so well and it's great to get him back in the winners enclosure.
“We might run him in a 1m6f flat race to keep moving but I don't think he'll go back over hurdles as he jumps them too slow.”
Robbie Power said: "He was very good today. He loves that good ground and he travels real well and he's some jumper, he's unbelievable. That big galloping track and bigger fences suited him down to the ground.
"He was jumping so well I was able to fill him up the whole way around and even when Adrian came back up on my inside turning in I knew two good jumps would seal the deal.
"The problem with during the summer is that it is these kind of tracks that suit him better. We don't get too much racing on these big galloping tracks during the summer. We'll have to plot a course carefully. I think there is a race back here for him on the 1st of June."
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
