A PLUS Tard inflicted a surprise defeat on Chacun Pour Soi in the Grade 1 Paddy’s Rewards Club “Loyalty’s Dead, Live For Rewards” Chase at Leopardstown.

Chacun Pour Soi was unbeaten in two previous outings for Willie Mullins, and having claimed the notable scalp of Defi Du Seuil at the Punchestown Festival, he was the 8/15 favourite for his seasonal reappearance.

With his stable companions Cadmium and Great Field ensuring a strong gallop in front, Chacun Pour Soi travelled kindly in behind under Paul Townend and moved ominously to the lead after jumping the second fence from home.

However, Rachael Blackmore covered the move aboard the Henry de Bromhead-trained Cheltenham Festival winner A Plus Tard – who finished second in last month’s Fortria Chase at Navan – and the pair settled down to fight it out in the straight.

There was little to choose between the pair jumping the final obstacle, but with the benefit of a recent outing, A Plus Tard (4/1) finished the stronger and passed the post almost four lengths to the good.

Dual Champion Hurdle runner-up Melon opened his account over fences with a battling display in the second race on the card.

The Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old was considered a potential superstar in the making both before and after making a winning Irish debut at the Dublin circuit in January, 2017.

However, although he has since finished second in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and in two Champion Hurdles, he has found wins hard to come by, with his only triumph since that initial Leopardstown triumph being at Down Royal over two years ago.

Having chased home the high-class Fakir D’oudairies on his chasing debut at Navan, Paul Townend’s mount was the 5/4 favourite to go one better in the Paddy Power “Live Stream All Irish Racing On Our App” Beginners Chase, and he jumped well in the lead for much of the way.

With Martin Brassil’s Cheltenham hero City Island making a catalogue of errors during a disappointing display, Gallant John Joe emerged as Melon’s biggest threat, but the market leader knuckled down well after a final fence error to score by two and a quarter lengths.

Mullins said: “I was very happy with the way he jumped early on, obviously he made a mistake at the last, but what particularly pleased me was the way he fought back when it looked like the game was up.

“He makes life difficult for himself, but he fought back well today. I’d imagine the Arkle is the likely target. He could come back here for the Dublin Racing Festival and will need more experience.”

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