Lets Go Champ took advantage of a beautiful light weight in the Grade 3 HSS Hire Handicap Chase at Punchestown.
In this longer 2m4f competition worth €100,000, he ran the home bend in third place, just behind Jetoile and Authorised Art.
At the penultimate fence, he was third, and Rachael Blackmore rode him to the final fence, where he collared Authorised Art.
From there, the 11/4 favourite continued to run strongly, winning by a clear two and a half lengths over Must Be Obeyed (18/1) and Authorised Art (25/1) who finished in second and third.
Henry de Bromhead said: “It’s brilliant for Roger (Brookhouse, owner). He’s a great supporter of ours and a great supporter of Punchestown. He lost a very good friend, Tom, only recently who came every year with him and he wants to dedicate that to him. He ran very well here last year and was a little bit unlucky. He probably struggled a bit on the ground in Limerick (last time) but he was very good today. He could be a Galway Plate horse but we’ll see what the handicapper does and what everybody wants to do. We’ll enjoy today, today is a big day.”
Blackmore added: "It was fantastic! He got into a great rhythm and jumped well. I hope Paul (Townend) and James Du Berlais are okay, they fell on the inside of me. He loved the nicer ground there and he's a progressive type, so hopefully that is him on the right path now. It is great to get it, yesterday was a frustrating day (pipped by a neck on Captain Guinness in the Grade 1 Champion Chase). I just have to remember he won the Champion Chase at Cheltenham."