THE talking point of the Leopardstown Sunday card came not in either of the two big Coral races but in the Grade 2 novice chase which produced the ride of the month, and possibly the ride of the year.

Well clear of his rivals, Killultagh Vic (2/7) almost suffered from travelling too well as he galloped to the last and flew the fence, only to pitch on landing and almost dislodged Ruby Walsh as he lost his hind legs.

As he struggled to regain his feet, Walsh lost a stirrup and it looked that all chance was gone, but Walsh gathered him together, ignored the lost stirrup and set off frantically in pursuit of Blair Perrone and Lord Scoundrel. As the horse regained his composure, he sprinted after the others under Walsh’s hands and heels urgings and miraculously won by three quarters of a length. It was as good a piece of jockeyship as you will see. All it needed was that Aussie commentator again - "Ruby, oh deary, deary me"!

The horse too deserves credit for getting himself back on an even keel. The time of the race was still good over the two miles five furlongs. Killultagh Vic is another previous Cheltenham winner returning to the Festival and is a leading contender for either the JLT or RSA Chases.

The Charles O’Brien-trained Henry Higgins, ran out an easy winner of the first running of the Coral.ie Hurdle under Robbie Power. These big handicaps are a minefield for punters trying to find the number one J.P. runner. After Rain with Barry Geraghty was the favourite but the 16/1 winner was not unbacked from 33/1, with connections saying they expected him to run well.

Henry Higgins and Robbie Power win the Coral.ie Hurdle from Kalkir

The well backed Gilgamboa (4/1) had also been foiled by Minella Foru (7/1) in the Paddy Power in the same colours.

The winner, a son of the much missed Jeremy, cruised through this race, and got a dream run through on the inner under Power who was completing a double on the day. However this circuit bears no comparison to Cheltenham, and he didn’t find that much once in front. If the County Hurdle is his target he will need more.

Kalkir had been the mid-week gamble into 7/1 but once Ruby Walsh chose Buiseness Sivola, Kalkir drifted out to 12/1 with Jacques Ricou on board. The grey travelled well and looked a possible winner before Henry Higgins was spotted travelling easily in his slipstream. The third home, Desoto County, didn’t get the run of the race and would be more interesting in the County.

Robbie Power had started the day with a reverse when Billy’s Hope (6/5) had looked the winner over the last only to be outbattled by the Brian Gleeson-owned and John Kiely-trained home-bred Pride Of The Braid (9/2) under Davy Russell.

Power and Jessica Harrington gained compensation with Our Duke in the next. The fine-looking gelding, bound for chasing next season, impressed when beating the Mullins favourite Pylonthepressure by three lengths.

Empire Of Dirt (8/1) finally came good for Colm Murphy and Gigginstown when he ran out a good winner of the Coral Leopardstown Chase beating Killer Crow (in the same ownership) with Seabass running another good race at 13 years in third. It was another good winner for 7lb claimer Jonathan Moore. The winner cost €325,000 as a three-year-old at Tattersalls Derby Sale in 2010.

Another expensive horse Aspen Colorado won the bumper under Sarah O’Brien. Although not bred for Leopardstown January ground (Galileo out of Danehill mare) he was green but won well and could be anything. He had originally cost €250,000 at the Goffs Orby Sale.

NAAS SATURDAY

Roi Des Francs beats Pont Alexandre

Willie Mullins suffered a rare reverse when Pont Alexandre was beaten at 4/7 in the Grade 2 Woodlands Park 100 Club Novice Chase at Naas, but it was another Mullins runner who stepped up to take the honours when Roi Des Francs in the Gigginstown colours proved too tough on the run-in. The runner-up was disappointing after his fine comeback at Punchestown but that had come after an absence of over two and a half years and he may have 'bounced' here. Sub Lieutenant ran reasonably well, four and a half lengths back in third. A three-runner Grade 2 chase with two Gigginstown runners and one Ricci-owned horse is a sign of the times.

The winner had gone off a beaten favourite for both the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham last year and the Grade 1 three mile novice hurdle won by Thistlecrack at Aintree. He looks the second string of the Mullins staying novices and also behind Gigginstown’s number one three-mile novice No More Heroes.

The four-runner Limestone Lad Hurdle also went to Mullins as Sempre Medici, at odds of 1/8, had to be kept up to his work to win on the end by seven lengths from Massini’s Trap and He’llberemembered.

Lagostovegas (11/10 favourite) got his deserved first success over hurdles for Harry Kelly in the opening maiden hurdle beating Newberry New by seven and half lengths. Mullins had to settle for second in the two and a half mile maiden hurdle as Barry Geraghty partnered J.P. McManus’s Edwulf, a son of Kayf Tara, to a length victory over 5/4 favourite Haymount and Ruby Walsh.

WARWICK SATURDAY

The Willie Mullins bandwagon made another Saturday journey to Britain and it was 'mission accomplished' at Warwick as Black Hercules was impressive under Danny Mullins in the three mile listed novice chase.

The Graham Wylie-owned son of Heren Island had been a big disappointment when favourite for the Albert Bartlett last year but is now two for two over fences, though where he goes at the festival remains to be seen.

He measured his fences perfectly in his stride over a track that provides a good test of jumping

The Channel 4 trackside camera gave excellent pictures here as Black Hercules raced keenly but within himself for Danny Mullins and measured his fences perfectly in his stride over a track that provides a good test of jumping.

He was a bit wrong, but safe, at the last and Definitly Red closed up, but he stayed on well to win with a bit in hand. These were not top class rivals but this was a good test and he won well with Mullins saying there could be more improvement in this fine stamp of a young chaser. He has more class than a normal four-mile Cheltenham contender but these are not normal times among staying novice chasers.

The Grade 2 Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle (The Leamington Novices' Hurdle) had Born Survivor as a well backed if surprising favourite for last year’s winning Dan Skelton team.

At 5/1 Thomas Hobson looked good value and led for most of the way, appearing to have the race won by the time they turned in.

The Skelton yard is just not in top form. Born Survivor was beaten before the straight and Thomas Hobson looked the winner at that stage. That was before the leader's jumping fell apart over the last two flights and his stable companion Open Eagle closed him down under David Mullins. Thomas Hobson made a total mess of the last but, to his credit, he found plenty on the flat to go away and win by two and a half lengths.

A flat bred son of Halling, Thomas Hobson cost Harold Kirk £240,000 at Doncaster November Yearlings and HIT in 2013, out of John Gosden’s stable. He has taken tIme to begin to repay that sum, though this was his third win from five outings. He will need to jump better to tackle Grade 1 rivals.

Born Survivor, a son of King´s Theatre, made £220,000 at Brightwells Cheltenham April Sale last year. He may need another year to be seen at his best.

Kerry Lee with the officially white Russe Blanc

The feature, the Warwick Betfred Classic Chase over three mile and five furlongs, saw only two of the 14 runners in with a chance over the last two. The officially white Russe Blanc, trained by Kerry Lee, stayed on determinedly, despite a slipped saddle to fight off Alan King’s Midnight Prayer who had made a costly mistake down the back. King’s favourite Sego Success crashed out at the second fence. Russe Blanc was well ridden by Charlie Poste, going for home four out.

Previous winner Rigadin Du Beauchene was unlucky when knocked over by a loose horse when going well.

Mouse Morris’ Dromnea finished third at 16/1 although he never looked like winning. Houblon Des Obeaux was out the back most of the way but kept going to land the each-way money at 15/2.

Plaid Maid’s third high class son, Flintham, displayed all the family’s courage when making all under top-weight in the Pertemps Qualifier and seeing off the challenge of Popples Park who was receiving a stone and 4lbs from the gallant winner. A smaller individual than half-brother Coneygree, the Pertemps Final will be much more difficult for this front runner.

WETHERBY SATURDAY

At Wetherby, Nicky Henderson’s L’Ami Serge gained further experience over fences as he splashed home unchallenged in a public school at Plumpton two weeks ago. Here, over two and a half miles, with two fences omitted, he jumped well and was never troubled, the odds of 1/6 telling the task he faced. This was two and a half mile and though he faced Douvan in last year’s Supreme, he might avoid him this time in the JLT Novices. There will likely be a Mullins favourite there too.