Outlander looked a likely winner when crashing out at the last, to present 2/1 favourite Alelchi Inois with victory in the featured Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase at Powerstown Park this afternoon.

Outlander and Alelchi Inois were of course stable companions previously at the Willie Mullins yard, and the former was shaded for market supremacy at 9/4 here, on outing number two for the Gordon Elliott stable.

The betting looked to be wrong when the Bryan Cooper-ridden Outlander led entering the straight, and after being pushed along before the second last the Stowaway gelding asserted before the last.

The Gigginstown House Stud-owned contender had about a three length advantage when lunging at the final obstacle, coming to grief, to leave it between Alelchi Inois and Clarcam

Willie Mullins' Alelchi Inois wasn't long about settling the issue, powering on under Ruby Walsh for a five length verdict.

"We had fortune on our side and he was probably jumping a bit slow for that type of contest but he jumped safe and it paid off in the end," said Mullins.

"The rain probably hadn't soaked into it yet being the first race on the track and everything played into his hands.

"We might go out in trip with him.

"That was nearly our last race and we were thinking about going the cross-country route but possibly the Aintree National is an option next year.

"After his run in Italy we were happy he'd stay and he wants further than that (today's 2m4f) trip - the reason we were going cross-country was to get better ground on those tracks.

"Once the ground turns we won't have much for him."

Regarding the Italian race and whether he'd attempt to win it again, Mullins remarked "oh ya - it has good prizemoney and needs to be won some day! It's a beautiful place to go to also."

Boylesports introduced Alelchi Inois at 33/1 for the Aintee National.

Paddy Power meanwhile go 16/1 from 25s about Outlander for the Ryanair Chase.

(TW & EM)