Caduceus under Paul Townend (nearest) jumps the last alongside Miss Pepperpot© Photo Healy Racing
The fourth and final chase at Punchestown this evening, the Grade B, '3' Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase went to the well supported favourite Caduceus for trainer Pat Hughes with Paul Townend in the saddle.
The 8yo son of Luso opened on track at 11/2 and touched 6/1 before being backed into 4/1 favouritism at the off.
Having won a handicap chase at Clonmel in March over 2m 4f he then disappointed ten days later over 3m at Navan, finishing seventh behind Cadogan.
Last time out he got back in the winning groove at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday impressively winning a novice handicap chase over 2m 6f by eighteen lengths.
Stepped back up in trip today to 3m 1f today, he raced in mid-division early on and was eighth at the halfway stage.
He was coming with his challenge on the run to the last when his rider Paul Townend lost his whip.
However he wasn't last seasons champion jockey for nothing as he pushed his mount to challenge Miss Pepperpot at the last, getting to the front on the early run-in before asserting to score by three and a quarter lengths.
Miss Pepperpot plugged on for second under Adrian Heskin for Fran Flood at 16/1 while Quietly Fancied ran a big race a length and a quarter back in third at 25/1 for Robbie Colgan and Oliver McKiernan.
