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Back In Focus made the perfect start to his career over fences with a brilliant display from the front in the Kevin McManus Beginners Chase at Listowel.
The seven-year-old graduated from the Irish point-to-point sphere with a big reputation and won a Grade Two novice hurdle at Haydock in February of last year on his debut under Rules for Howard Johnson.
He spent over a year on the sidelines after disappointing at Aintree a couple of months later and was beaten into second on his debut for champion trainer Willie Mullins in a Tipperary hurdle race in July. But with that sharpener under his belt, he was the 4-5 favourite for his fencing debut and could not have been more impressive.
Given his head by Ruby Walsh and allowed to bowl along at the head of affairs, it was clear a long way from home that his slick and accurate jumping would have his rivals in trouble.
The chestnut gelding rounded the home turn with a huge advantage and safely negotiated the final couple of obstacles to score by 33 lengths from White Star Line, a 136-rated chaser who was second to Hunt Ball at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Mullins said: "He has a huge long stride and I said to Ruby don't be afraid to go on if there isn't much of a pace because he keeps on galloping. He took one big breath going out for the last circuit but he just gallops all day and he is one with a future I hope.
"He is such a big horse I told the owners to keep him in training over the summer to stop him from getting heavy. He will need two and a half miles plus."
Three Flat races scheduled for Listowel on Saturday have been cancelled due to ground conditions. One of the remaining five races will be divided to form a six-race programme.
