Sceaux setback a big blow for Willie Mullins in title race

Willie Mullins made significant gains on Gordon Elliott in his quest to retain his trainers’ title, but suffered what could prove a fatal setback on the Punchestown festival’s opening day as the Colin Tizzard-trained Fox Norton proved too strong for Mullins’ Un De Sceaux in the most valuable race of the day, the Grade 1 Boylesports Champion Chase.

Un De Sceaux sat behind the pace-making Rock The World until taking it up down the back, and looked to have all his rivals in trouble when he jumped the fourth-last with a two-length lead.

Fox Norton was flat out all the way but Robbie Power is in formidable form and, riding a horse which looked to appreciate the step up in trip when winning the Melling Chase on his previous start, Power drove his mount to challenge between the last two, and Alan and Ann Potts’ horse found plenty to forge past the odds-on favourite for a length-and-three-quarters victory.