The highly-regarded Rule The World coasted to an impressive victory in the Grade 2 Slaney Novice Hurdle in Naas yesterday as 1/4 favourite Champagne Fever flopped badly, trailing in a distant third before being found to have “a respiratory tract infection”.

Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh suffered a rare reversal in the Annual Membership At Naas Maiden Hurdle this afternoon as the odds-on favourite Upazo was run out of it close home by Jennies Jewel (6-1).

Noel Meade’s Monksland booked his ticket to the Cheltenham Festival with a runaway victory in the Slaney Novice Hurdle at Naas.