Silver foils Zeb in Tied Cottage

Golden Silver (3-1) got the better of Big Zeb at the fifth attempt in the Boylesports.com Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown.

Colm Murphy’s Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Big Zeb (4-6 favourite) appeared to have done everything right, having taken up the running at the third-last.

Barry Geraghty looked confident, but he got in tight to the final two fences, with Paul Townend creeping closer all of the time on Willie Mullins’ charge.

There was not much in it at the line, but Big Zeb lost momentum on the run-in and went down by half a length.

The race was billed as a clash between Big Zeb and Sizing Europe, last year's Arkle winner.

Sizing Europe’s stablemate Changing Course took the field along at a good clip, with the former having travelled sweetly until getting in tight to the fourth-last.

It was then that Big Zeb appeared to put his seal on the race, but Townend could be noted getting closer on Golden Silver.

Golden Silver may have lost his four previous meetings with Big Zeb but a flying leap at the last saw him take the lead and there was not enough time for the champion chaser to respond.

William Hill were quick to react regarding the Queen Mother and slashed Golden Silver’s price in half from 14-1 into 7s.

Big Zeb was eased out to 4-1 from 11-4, meaning Master Minded hardened to 2-1 from 9-4.

Totesport had to reintroduce Golden Silver at 8-1, having previously taken him out of their betting, and also cut him to 10-1 from 14s for the Ryanair.

Townend said: ``We've got close to him before but never beaten him.

“They went a good gallop and it was just a case of letting him find his way.

“I thought we’d let them get a bit far in front of us but he put his head down, winged the last, and galloped all the way to the line.

“He deserves to go to Cheltenham but that’s up to Willie. He’s doing everything right, anyway.”

Mullins said: ``It just goes to prove the old adage that if you're not in, you can't win.

“He didn’t jump well early and he only got into it in the last half mile.

“His style of racing suits being dropped in like that, though.

“I’d imagine he could go straight across the water (to Cheltenham).

“I was thinking of the Ryanair, but we’ll leave him in the Champion Chase as well and see what happens.

“I thought he could be a bit flat coming here off the back of recent runs, but maybe he is better suited to having a run rather than being trained.

“Going on the evidence, and the way he operates, he could run again before Cheltenham.”

Murphy said of Big Zeb: “There was always going to be a day like that and today was the day.

“Anyway, we learned plenty and he seems to be OK after it.

“He probably jumped too well to get there when he did.”