Sub Lieutenant was a dominant all-the-way winner of the Irish Daily Star Chase at Punchestown on Wednesday.

Rachael Blackmore enjoyed an armchair ride on the 8/11 favourite, who was having his first start since running twice at the Galway Festival in early August. The race was weakened by the defection of Gold Cup third Road To Riches.

The nine-year-old Sub Lieutenant, trained by Henry de Bromhead, shrugged off the challenges of Outlander – owned like him by Gigginstown House Stud – and Sandymount Duke to beat the former by nine lengths.

Sub Lieutenant could now head to Down Royal for the JNwine.com Champion Chase in which he was fifth last November.

“I’m delighted. He jumped brilliant, and it was a super ride from Rachael,” said de Bromhead. “He saw it out really well. I’d say we’ll aim for the north now. I’m delighted to see him coming back to himself again.

“He loves that ground, touch wood, and he seems good. He has form on softer, and he’ll handle most types, but probably doesn’t want it bottomless to be at his best. It’s great to have him back in winning form again.

“We’ve Leopardstown at Christmas – there is the Savills Chase there – and you can often get good ground there. We’ll see.

“He was in for Galway, and then we backed off him for a while. Hopefully we’ll get up to Christmas with him and then see from there, back off him maybe after that for a while and see how we are going.”

It was a double for all connections, because they had taken the opening Punchestown Members Club Maiden Hurdle with newcomer Milliner (3/1).

MULLINS ACROSS-THE-CARD DOUBLE

On the same card, the Willie Mullins-trained Cadmium won the Grade 3 Buck House Novice Chase, taking revenge on his Roscommon conqueror Ornua.

The six-year-old, wearing the colours of the Supreme Horse Racing Club, got the upper hand from the final fence.

The 15/8 shot was completing a notable across-the-card double for Willie Mullins after the victory of True Self at Bath, as well as giving Ruby Walsh a second winner since he returned from injury on Sunday.

Ornua made a bold bid to lead all the way but Cadmium took over at the last, reversing Roscommon form with Ornua – who stuck on well for second place, five lengths adrift of the tidy winner.

“There is a fair chance that I’m blowing harder than the horse!” said Walsh. "He did it well. It was hard to see how he would reverse the form with Ornua – but I suppose a more galloping track, the two furlongs extra and the 3lb swung it in our favour today.

“That’s twice he’s won here. He’s a novice for another six weeks, so you’d imagine he’ll come back here in a month’s time for the Craddockstown all being well.”

On his return to action, Walsh said: “I feel like coughing up half a lung at this minute in time – but other than that, we’re all right.”

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