Tarla takes a bow

Ruby Walsh: Ran out an easy winner aboard Tarla

Tarla produced an impressive display on her debut over fences in the T.A. Morris Memorial Mares Chase.

Sent off the 11-8 favourite on the back of some smart hurdles form, she was nevertheless thrown in at the deep end in this Grade Three event.

In receipt of weight from nearly all of her rivals, Ruby Walsh decided not to hang about on Willie Mullins' six-year-old but it was hard to tell Tarla was making her first start over fences, however, as she jumped like an old hand.

Principal market rival Knockfierna was badly hampered by the fall of Ros Brin half a mile out, but she would have had her work cut out in any case as Tarla defeated Our Girl Salley by eight lengths without coming off the bridle.

Mullins said: "She was very good and she had looked a natural at home.

"When she won over hurdles at Punchestown it looked as though fences would be no problem.

"We schooled her then and she looked as good as she was out there.

"She is very quick, even when she was a little wrong at a fence. We'll mix it between hurdles and fences now.

"There is a bit more prize-money over fences. Trying to keep her sound will be the hard thing.

"She was off the track for two years so the worry is to see if she's sound in the morning. The Grade One at Punchestown is her end-of-season target."