NOT for the first time in recent weeks, Willie Mullins took the wraps off a jumper of prodigious potential as Unexcepted made quite a statement with a striking Irish debut in the two-mile maiden hurdle.

The J.P. McManus-owned Unexcepted (11/8) last ran a very promising third over hurdles at Auteuil two years ago and was then sold for £200,000 at a sale at Cheltenham several weeks later, but he had to wait until now to make his debut for the champion trainer.

The wait for the Irish debut of this Anzillero five-year-old was rewarded with a performance of real quality under Mark Walsh. Unexcepted cantered away from the favourite The Very Man from the second last and he could afford to be eased right down in the closing stages to defeat Jason The Militant by four and a half lengths.

The winner is a half-brother to his high-class stablemate Great Field and should be right at home when he steps into graded company.

The Mullins-trained Concertista, a runner-up at the Cheltenham Festival on her only previous start for the trainer, was an odds-on favourite for the mares’ maiden hurdle but she could manage only fourth in a dramatic finale.

A huge upset looked to be on cards as the 40/1 shot Lunch In Adare shook off Concertista and Tellmesomethinggirl on the long run-in, but in the last stride she was joined by Larquebuse who looked set for a moderate fourth turning in before coming with a tremendous late charge.

The front pair went across the line as one and following a wait of several minutes the judge made the outcome a dead-heat.

A useful type in bumpers, Lunch In Adare is trained by Peter Fahey for Padraic Ryan and she was ridden by Kevin Sexton.

Meanwhile, Larquebuse, who had Lunch In Adare back in fourth in a Punchestown bumper last month, represented Gordon Elliott, Davy Russell and Cheveley Park Stud.

Fahey was predicting a bright future for his charge who was a first winner on the track for the owner, while Gordon Elliott is eyeing a step up to three miles over Christmas for his charge.

Sadly, the last flight was bypassed here because Earthiest Words took a fatal fall with a circuit to run.

Kevin Sexton picked up a two-day whip ban for his efforts.

Midway wins another Battle

EOIN Walsh maintained his fine strike for the season as he notched his seventh winner from just 30 rides this term as he teamed up with Battle Of Midway for a hard fought success in the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle over two and a half miles.

A Galway maiden hurdle winner last month before taking second at Cork the following week, the Gigginstown House Stud-owned Battle Of Midway produced a gritty display.

The well-backed 11/8 favourite answered Walsh’s every call to first subdue the persistent Fortune Street and he kept on bravely in the closing stages to hold the oncoming outsider Definite Plan by a neck.

All of the 7lb claimer Walsh’s winners this term have come for Noel Meade who was looking towards Christmas with this stout stayer.

Well over two and a half years after his last success, which came in a listed event at Limerick that brought down the curtain on his outstanding bumper career, Debuchet (2/1) got back on track with a debut success over fences in the novice chase for horses rated 123 or lower. After posting some very honourable efforts in smart company over hurdles, the Force Eight Syndicate-owned six-year-old took well to this new discipline.

The grey, who was ridden by Danny Mullins for his mother Margaret, made all the running and maintained a useful lead for the duration of the straight to defeat An Fraoch Mor by four lengths.

JOCKEY Trevor Ryan enjoyed a day to cherish as he notched up the first double of his career which began when the evergreen Witness Of Fashion (11/1) made it six career wins at the age of 13 in the 0-102 rated handicap chase over just short of three miles.

The Pat Rooney-trained gelding was one of many horses inconvenienced by the dry winter last season but back on soft ground at his beloved Fairyhouse he showed that he remains a force at this level.

Ryan, who was on board for the gelding’s last success in March 2018, got the 11/1 chance to the front coming to the last and the veteran forged clear to defeat the 33/1 outsider Turndownthevolume by four lengths. The winner is owned by the trainer’s wife Lorraine and he could return to Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day.

The Willie Austin-trained The Chapel Field, who was backed from as big as 20/1 in the morning into 10/1 for his first outing since April, completed Ryan’s double in the 80-95 rated two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle.

The William Burn-owned and bred winner took charge after two out en route to a three-and-three-quarter-length triumph and he could easily be adding to his tally this season.

Today was Ryan’s first day back after a fall at Thurles earlier in the month kept him out of action just under two weeks.