Robbie Power delivered Citizenship (10-1) with a perfectly-timed challenge to land the valuable Boylesports.com Hurdle. Top weight Staying Article looked to be in control of the ultra-competitive two-mile heat approaching the penultimate flight, but Citizenship was flying on the outside.
Power brought the Jessica Harrington-trained runner to the front at the last and after clearing the obstacle in style, he powered away to win by a length and a quarter.
Leah Claire just shaded the game Staying Article for second while Sweet My Lord was fourth. Scottish Boogie was sent off the 7-1 favourite but he failed to feature in the finish.
“Everything went wrong. He nearly came down at the first and was soon nearly last," Harrington said. “Robbie said that he never sat on one that picked up so quickly when he eventually saw daylight.”
Power added: “That was fantastic. I’ve never won a race when everything went so wrong. He’s as honest and game as you get though, and he is very quick at his hurdles.
“I was supposed to ride Zaarito for Colm Murphy but when the weights went up I was able to ride this fellow. It’s been a hard week as I had half a stone to lose — 10st 3lb is my lowest weight.”
Sir Des Champs maintained his unbeaten record since joining Willie Mullins in the Boylesports.com — Bet On Your Mobile Novice Chase.
A winner at the Cheltenham Festival in March, the French import had won his first two starts over fences without much alarm but faced a tough task here against the highly-regarded Hidden Cyclone.
There were three in line over the last as Fists Of Fury, Hidden Cyclone and the even-money favourite Sir Des Champs were locked together.
A mistake from the favourite seemed to cost him all chance but Davy Russell did not panic and the six-year-old quickened up very smartly to beat Fists Of Fury by half a length with Hidden Cyclone just behind.
The winner was cut to 8-1 from 12s by William Hill for the Jewson Novices’ Chase at the Festival.
Mullins said: “He made a few errors there but he galloped on nicely from the last.
“He is improving slowly and he’ll go for one of the staying novice chases at Cheltenham — either the Jewson or the RSA.”
Russell added: “He was bit lazy throughout but he jumped great.
“He got in a little bit tight to the last but he is a clever horse and he fiddled it. I only had to give him one slap and we were always going to get there. I like him, I like him plenty and anything from two and a half miles up will be fine for him.”
