JAMES Du Berlais, the 11/1 outsider of four runners, sprang a surprise in the Grade 2 Boyle Sports Webster Cup Steeplechase to bring up a treble for Willie Mullins and a brace of winners on the card for J.J. Slevin.

The 10-year-old raced off the pace in rear, as Saint Sam and Found A Fifty raced at a good clip at the head of affairs. Slevin’s mount took closer order from three out and travelled well to challenge over the next. He worked his way to the front before the last and kept on to beat Better Days Ahead by two and a quarter lengths for Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

Slevin said: “I thought they went a good gallop; it is very heavy ground down the back. I’m a hostage to fortune with my horse, I have to ride him like that.

“There wasn’t a whole lot left in the tank at the back of the last. I was worried about the ground. He’s a real talented horse when the scenario sets up for him.”

Bonus win

Hens Tooth showed improvement to strike in the Navan Maiden Hurdle for Mullins and Paul Townend. The 11/4 shot disputed the lead in the early stages and took over before the fourth flight.

San Hilario, the even-money favourite, loomed large at the penultimate obstacle, but Hens Tooth asserted before the last to put him under pressure. The Michael Feeley-owned gelding stayed on well to sweep home by nine and a half lengths.

Townend said: “He has built on each run, and he really is a staying chaser in the making. Whatever he does over hurdles is only a bonus.

“When we were getting taken on over the first couple, and I was fighting him, he wasn’t enjoying it. Once I let him go, he dropped the bridle himself and took in the scenery and relaxed.”

Nice horse

Mullins and Townend also teamed up with wide-margin winner Moulin Labbe (8/13f) in the Navan Racecourse Maiden Hurdle over two miles.

The Silverwave gelding tracked the leaders and came with his challenge over two out. He was on good terms with himself in picking it up before the last and kept on strongly on the run-in to post a 13-length success for Gigginstown House Stud.

“It wasn’t the strongest of races and he improved from his first run for us in Naas,” Townend said. “He was having a little look in front as well, so I was trying to keep the revs up on him. He’s a nice horse for the future and he is still a bit raw.”

JACOB’S Ladder (8/13f) picked up a nice pot in the Grade 3 Flyingbolt Novice Chase for Gigginstown House Stud, Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy.

A smart winner of a listed handicap chase at the Dublin Racing Festival last time out, the Mount Nelson gelding disputed the lead from three out and took over before the next. Kennedy asked him for more approaching the last and he responded, while Lovely Hurling came home well to reduce the gap to a length and a quarter without landing a glove on the winner.

“He’s very gutsy and going the right way over fences,” Elliott said. “He picked up and galloped, so we are very happy. He did get through the ground, but Jack said he struggled on it. He won’t go to Cheltenham; we might look at Fairyhouse or Aintree, all being well.”

Lovely opportunity

Showurappreciation was another odds-on favourite to oblige as he took the honours in the Boyle Sports Money Back On Every Race At Cheltenham Handicap Hurdle.

Mark Walsh, sporting the J.P. McManus colours, settled him in mid-division and made headway after the second-last flight. Travelling best before the last, he was pushed out to collect by four lengths at 4/6.

Trainer Jonathan Sweeney said: “He did (ride him very confidently) - was it a weak race? It came up and it was a lovely opportunity, so we said we would have a go.

“We put him in and I suppose it cut up with the heavy ground and everything. He did it well. We will probably go back chasing.”

THE Grade 1-placed Galileo Dame (4/6f) gained a deserved win over obstacles in the Pick Your Place At Boyle Sports Mares Maiden Hurdle.

Positioned in second by J.J. Slevin, who later won the Grade 2 feature, the Joseph O’Brien-trained chesnut asserted on the approach to the last. She went on to score by 11 lengths for the Annus Mirabilis Syndicate, Sean O’Driscoll and Middle Cow Unlimited.

“She was probably entitled to go very close when Crawford’s mare (Stuart, Royal Hillsborough) came out,” Slevin said. “She’s a very decent mare on the flat and she might go back to the flat at some stage; she would be good and fit now for the early flat races.”

Cut above

Savante was another easy winner, as the 4/5 favourite took the concluding Balreask Bar, Restaurant & Guest Accommodation Mares Handicap Steeplechase in the hands of Brian Hayes.

Colm Murphy’s mare was held up behind the leaders and took closer order three out, where she made a slight mistake. Hayes steered her into a share of the lead two out and she went on before the last, drawing further clear to win by nine lengths for owner Paul McKeon.

Murphy said: “It was probably a last-minute decision. There was only five or six entered before the race opened up on Saturday week there. We stuck her in it.

“I’d say the ground was a big thing to her, she’s one of those that handles that ground. Things happened too quick for her earlier on in the year, hence why she has the mark she has.”