Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Energumene made a fine start to his campaign with a successful defence of the Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase at Cork.
The eight-year-old kicked off last season with victory in this Grade Two contest before coming off second best in a box-office clash with Shishkin in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot in January.
He emphatically turned the tables at Cheltenham in March, however, when providing Willie Mullins with a first Champion Chase success and followed up at Punchestown to confirm himself the undoubted king of the two-mile chasing division.
Faced with just three rivals on his reappearance, Energumene was the 1-9 favourite in the hands of Paul Townend and dominated from the front from the outset.
Having jumped accurately in the main, the Denham Red gelding got a little close to the second fence from home but it did not stop his momentum and he ultimately won hard held by 15 lengths.
Epson Du Houx was best of the rest in second.
Champion two-mile chaser Energumene (1-9F) makes a winning seasonal reappearance in the feature Grade 2 Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase at Cork for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend. pic.twitter.com/4aQ7PUWLAJ
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) December 11, 2022
Mullins said afterwards: "I was a little worried passing the winning post the first time as his eye was caught by something. The end result was great but I don't know if he was feeling something or was looking at the gate or crossing the road, but definitely I wasn’t happy with the way he went around the bend passing the stands.
"Paul thought he was idling in front – he was probably in front on his own and there was nothing to make him race. He loves jumping, has a great appetite for it and you are lucky when you have a horse like that.
"We won’t make any plans, he is in at Christmas, at the Dublin Racing Festival and the Ascot race is there but we won’t make any decision until we see how he comes out of this."
The champion trainer also confirmed his intention to run Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase, assuming the Grade One contest is rescheduled after Saturday’s meeting was cancelled.
"The weather forecast around Punchestown’s area of the country doesn’t look good. There is still a good chance Galopin Des Champs will go to the John Durkan, otherwise we are looking at Leopardstown at Christmas (Savills Chase) or Tramore on New Year’s Day," Mullins added.
"There is lovely ground at Tramore, it is safe and if you want to get your horse out and come home safe, it is easier go there. The ground can be very dry at Leopardstown but Galopin has run there and come home successfully before so we’ll see. It is all up in the air still."
Impervious (13-8) extended her unbeaten record over fences with a clear-cut victory in the O'Flynn Group Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase.
The daughter of Shantou was a smart performer over hurdles last season for Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase-winning trainer Colm Murphy, winning at Grade Three level, but looks set to scale even greater heights over the larger obstacles.
Following an impressive chasing debut at Wexford in October, the six-year-old was second choice in the market for this Grade Two assignment, with Dinoblue the favourite to provide Willie Mullins with a sixth victory in the last eight renewals.
The latter cut out much of the running, but was unable to resist the challenge of Impervious after the final fence, with three lengths separating them at the line.
The Colm Murphy-trained Impervious (13-8) lands the Grade 2 O'Flynn Group Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase at Cork under Brian Hayes. pic.twitter.com/QTULzoYJoU
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) December 11, 2022
Murphy said: "We’d have been disappointed if she wasn’t in the ding-dong there – we’ve had a nice clean run with her this year.
"Settling her is the biggest worry, but she settled really well again today.
"She was a bit careful jumping early on, but warmed up to it and her pedigree is all jumping. I wouldn’t be afraid to step her up in trip either and there is plenty improvement to come from stepping her up."
Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore combined for a double on the card, with Arctic Bresil (11-8) and Hiddenvalley Lake (9-2) shaping like horses destined for bigger and better things.
Point-to-point graduate Arctic Bresil readily accounted for the Willie Mullins-trained favourite Mercurey in the Bar One Racing Maiden Hurdle, while Hiddenvalley Lake supplemented a successful Rules debut at Naas with an impressive display in the Grade Three Singletons Supervalu Stayers Novice Hurdle.
"I'm delighted with Arctic Bresil. We liked him at home but you always have to do it on the track," said De Bromhead.
"He is by Blue Bresil and is from the same cross as Constitution Hill – both are out of King’s Theatre mares. Whether he is him or not I don’t know – we have a long way to go for that, but it is nice to win a maiden hurdle.
"I don’t think we need to rush and there is the Grade Two Moscow Flyer Hurdle at Punchestown in the middle of January and that might be the race for him.
"Hiddenvalley Lake did it very nicely and Rachael was brilliant on him. I thought he was struggling turning in and then he picked up really well – I’d say he quickened after the second-last.
"You have to stay running around here and we’ll pencil in the Albert Bartlett. He could run in the Clonmel graded hurdle in February which Monalee won and Minella Indo finished second in to Allaho."
Blood Destiny (4-5F) emerged as a potential Triumph Hurdle contender after making an impressive Irish debut for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend.
Runner-up at Auteuil on his sole appearance in France, the son of No Risk At All was sent off favourite for his first start for new connections in the Bar One Racing 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle.
Always to the fore, the market leader jumped better as the race progressed and quickened smartly in the straight to score by five lengths from Sir Allen.
Mullins said: "Paul had lots of confidence in him and when he let him stride on, he jumped those hurdles well and the experience he got in France helped.
"He does that nicely in the juvenile division and will make a chaser in time. Hopefully he is one which will go forward.
"I’m sure he’s entered for the Grade One at Christmas (Leopardstown) and we might wait. We’ll see how he comes out of the race, I hope he comes home safe and sound and I’ll be planning a Grade One route with him."
