Willie Mullins and Paul Townend, fresh from a double here yesterday, got day two of the rescheduled Leopardstown Christmas meeting off to the best possible start when Cottrelsbooley justified favouritism in fine style.

The well-backed evens favourite made all the running and, after Buck Barrow briefly threatened approaching the second last flight, he galloped on strongly in the straight to beat that rival by five lengths.

Buck Barrow was the only one to make any sort of race of it but his chance was spoiled by a number of awkward jumps. There was a further six lengths back to Gormanstown Cuckoo in third.

Willie Mullins was late arriving to the Foxrock track but the successful trainer was represented by Harold Kirk who said: “We have no great plans and he'll go for a winners of one. He probably has to go left-handed as he's only one eye as a result of being kicked as a yearling. He's a brilliant horse to jump and gallop.”