Total eclipse as Maze takes charge

Asian Maze gave a brave front-running performance to take the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Hurdle at Punchestown today with hot favourite Total Enjoyment well beaten.

With Paul Carberry having no stamina doubts about his mount, who had won over three miles on her previous start, he succeeded in drawing the sting out of his rivals.

None ever got close enough to make a serious challenge and Asian Maze (7-1) went on to take the two-and-a-half-mile Listed race by four lengths from Sunami Storm, with Reine Des Reines a further half-length back in third.

Winning trainer Paddy Mullins said: “She’s a great stayer. Paul made up his own mind as to how to ride her. Nobody told him what to do and he went off and made all.

“We’ll try and find a conditions race somewhere for her and we’ll stick to the longer-distance hurdles.”

The big disappointment of the race was Total Enjoyment. The evens favourite flattered briefly but faded from the second-last flight and finished sixth.

It was, however, her first race since recovering from a respiratory tract infection.

Her rider Jim Culloty said: “She didn’t give me the same feel today – she was never really travelling. If I’d have battered her, maybe she could have finished fourth.”

Ladbrokes have pushed the Tom Cooper-trained mare out to 20-1 from 10-1 for the Letheby & Christopher Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.