Rachael Blackmore had to settle for second on her first ride back from a lengthy absence as Slade Steel was surprisingly turned over by Lecky Watson in the Bar One Racing '100% Acca Boost On Self Service Terminals' Beginners Chase at Naas.
Blackmore had been out for three months with a neck injury and looked to have a great chance of returning on a winner for Henry de Bromhead.
Slade Steel had won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle back in March and with a run over fences already under his belt, he was a heavily backed 8-15 favourite to go one better than on his chasing debut.
Blackmore settled Slade Steel in second behind the front-running Lecky Watson as the two dominated for much of the race, but approaching the second last there were almost six in line.
The pair had met over hurdles last season, with Slade Steel coming out on top, but fences appear to have brought out an improvement in Lecky Watson.
Once more, the two main protagonists began to pull away, but it soon became apparent Lecky Watson's superior stamina, having run well in Grade Ones over three miles last term, was going to be too much for Slade Steel.
Blackmore tried her hardest to get Slade Steel home in front but went down by a length and a quarter to the 100-30 winner.
"That was a good performance, I'm delighted with how he jumped and settled in front. It looks like a big improvement on his hurdling form," said Mullins.
"Fences are bringing out improvement in him and I'm very happy with that. His attitude to jumping was tremendous as well. Paul was very happy with it and I was very happy watching.
"He seemed to be able to put in quick ones and take a flier when he wanted. Generally, for a horse first time over fences, it was a very good first start.
"Paul was giving me the impression that he wouldn't be afraid to go further.
"He said before the race that he thought this was his trip, I thought he might want a bit further but he thought this was the right place to start him. Maybe we'll stay around this trip."
Mullins was named 'Manager of the Year' at the RTE Sports Awards last night and added: "I was delighted to get it and delighted for racing to get the award.
"I was delighted for everyone in Closutton, you can't be a good manager unless you have good people behind you.
"Also with all our owners, you have to have something to manage. It's great to have the horses and the owners that we have.
"You always feel that racing mightn't be the most popular sport at these sport stars awards, so it's great to see racing getting a look-in as well."
Ted Walsh appears to have a very nice prospect on his hands given the way Shuffle The Deck won the Sign Up To GavinLynchRacing.com Maiden Hurdle.
A point-to-point winner, he had finished third behind two nice types on his hurdling debut at Punchestown in Butch Cassidy and Sermandzarak but appeared to have taken a good leap forward.
Sent off a 5-4 joint-favourite along with Willie Mullins' new French recruit Karbau, Mark Walsh was content to take a lead into the second last on the JP McManus-owned four-year-old.
He jumped slower than Karbau there, giving the Mullins runner another chance, but in a matter of strides, Shuffle The Deck had the race won and pulled three and a quarter lengths clear of Eastern Legend, who stayed on for second.
The winner is now set to step up in class next month.
"He did it nicely. He stays and jumps," said Ted Walsh.
"He looks like a horse that will make a nice chaser. His first run was a goodish run and he came on from it, it looks like he's improved a bit from that.
"He is what he is, he stays going and he gallops. He's only a four-year-old and with his pedigree, he should make a nice chaser. His half-brother Verdant Place won yesterday.
"Hopefully he goes on to be a nice horse, lots of horses win a maiden hurdle."
He went on: "I've had a few nice novices over the years and I'd say he's as good as we've had at this stage, but he has a long way to go.
"Somebody asked me there how good he was and I said 'well he's not Rince Ri'.
"He's entered in the Lawlor's at Naas and he'll probably run there unless they (McManus) have something better."
