Bachasson impresses at Thurles

Bachasson made an impressive start to his campaign with a dominant display Boomerang Animal Bedding And Boomerang Horse & Country Store Chase at Thurles.

Just four runners went to post for the feature event in County Tipperary, but the Listed contest did not lack interest, with the Willie Mullins-trained Bachasson taken on by Val De Ferbet, Charmix and the long-absent Apache Stronghold.

Val De Ferbet took the quartet along for the first half of the two-mile-six-furlong contest before 8-11 favourite Bachasson was given his head by Paul Townend and he quickly built up a significant lead.

Sporting the colours made famous by Un De Sceaux, the market leader rounded the home turn with his rivals well beaten off and negotiated the remaining two fences to score by 24 lengths.

Val De Ferbet was a clear second, while Grade One winner Apache Stronghold - who had been sidelined by injury since the spring of 2015 - just beat Charmix to third place.

Townend said: "He was always a good jumper and I thought he was much stronger there and it was a fair performance.

"If he can build on that he has a good future; Val De Ferbet isn't a bad yardstick and he beat him out of sight. I was very taken by it.

"He can go to three miles, but he's not slow and has plenty options.

"They'll have plenty of fun with him."

Bachasson was one of two winners on the card for the Mullins-Townend combination, with Ainsi Va La Vie (11-10 favourite) opening her account over obstacles in the Sportsmens Mares Maiden Hurdle. The three-time bumper winner could only finish third when odds-on for her hurdling debut at Galway last month, but rewarded those who kept the faith with a comprehensive 13-length success over the well-backed Martello Park. Townend said: "The further she went the happier I was getting on her. When she got a bit of room, that's when she jumped into the bridle and she put it to bed quick." Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father, said: "She was entitled to do that on her bumper form. "She won a Listed bumper in Gowran, beating a strong field. "The sky's the limit for her." Mullins and Townend suffered a surprise reverse in the opening Go Racing At Thurles Mares Beginners Chase, with 2-5 favourite Asthuria having to make do with the runner-up spot behind 7-1 shot Billy's Hope and Robbie Power. Winning trainer Jessica Harrington said: "I didn't think she'd beat the favourite myself, but she is a good mare on her day. "We'll try and get black type over fences somewhere along the line." The Gordon Elliott-trained Burren Life comfortably justified 9-10 favouritism in the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Rated Novice Hurdle in the hands of Jack Kennedy. "He jumped and travelled great and did it very easily in the end," said the jockey. "He can go further (in trip) and he'll definitely be a nicer horse in time when he jumps a fence."