War surrenders to Noland
Former Cheltenham Gold Cup hero War Of Attrition could only finish third as Noland ran out a game winner of the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase.
The Paul Nicholls-trained winner was settled in midfield by Sam Thomas for much of the two-and-a-half-mile contest but challenged fellow British challenger The Listener for the lead in the back straight.
The latter looked beaten when making a bad mistake four fences from home as Noland began to stretch away.
But, to his credit, The Listener came back on the run-in and was only half a length in arrears at the line.
War Of Attrition travelled powerfully under Davy Russell but failed to pick up along the straight.
