Following on from Cadmium and Faugheen earlier Footpad made it three on the day for Willie Mullins at Punchestown when superb in the Grade 1 Ryanair Novice Chase.

The Arkle hero had this in the bag from the front when brilliant two out under Daryl Jacob, and he was as assured as ever at the last on his way to a twelve length demolition of Optimus Prime Asthuria took third position, also for Willie Mullins, who is now 418,461 Euros in front of Gordon Elliott in the race to be champion trainer for 2017/18.

Majestic - Footpad wins the Ryanair Novice Chase! @punchestownrace pic.twitter.com/YIRW5hxcTI

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 26, 2018

A twelfth winner at the festival for Mullins, Footpad prompted him to say: "He didn't run at Aintree as I had to give him a little break. I didn't dream that he would improve that much. That was some performance, and probably better than Cheltenham I thought.

"A lot will depend on what connections want to do but he could easily go out in trip. We have Douvan, Min, Great Field and Un De Sceaux so it's a nice division we have at home. I don't think he'll go to France.

"I thought he jumped much bigger than I've ever seen him before. I was wondering if he was losing too much ground in the air but he just seemed to be so well in himself and he was spring-heeled over everything.

"Daryl said it took him a while to settle and then when he spat it out he was push button stuff from there on in with his jumping."

(AM & EM)