Smashing enhanced his Cheltenham Festival profile with a clean-cut victory in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park.

Trained by Henry de Bromhead, the seven-year-old made all of the running under Davy Russell to impressively bring up a hat-trick.

Morning Assembly made an honourable fist of things but he could not live with Smashing, who drew handsomely clear three fences from home as the 9-10 favourite - eventually winning by 11 lengths.

Smashing holds an entry in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, for which he is now available at around the 10-1 mark.

SEMPRE SCORES

Sempre Medici justified short-priced favouritism to win the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park.

Rory O'Moore and Sizing Tennessee cut out most of the running in the Grade Two over two miles, but Willie Mullins' 2-7 market leader always had the measure of that duo.

Bentelimar gained an advantage approaching the second-last flight, at which point Sizing Tennessee fell, but Sempre Medici and Ruby Walsh had more quality, with seven lengths the winning distance.

Patrick Mullins, the winning trainer's son and assistant, said: "It was a little harder than expected.

"The ground is very tacky and being a Flat horse it probably wouldn't suit him.

"He showed a good attitude and I'd imagine he'll be on the boat for the Champion Hurdle. He should improve for better ground.

"Hopefully he should pick up plenty of races after Cheltenham as well.

"We were wondering a bit going to the last - would he capsize? - but he battled well."

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