Footpad was the star attraction on a weekend when a number of jumping stars made their return to action at Naas on Saturday and Navan on Sunday.

The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old was sent off odds-on to extend his winning sequence but he looked nothing like the horse we saw last season, making two serious jumping errors before unseating Ruby Walsh at the last when struggling to challenge British raider Saint Calvados.

Willie Mullins reported afterwards that the seven-year-old may have suffered an over-reach and that he would only be on the sidelines for 10 days or so.

There was more bad luck for Mullins and Walsh in the Fishery Lane Hurdle, when Saldier came down at the last, this time from what looked to be a winning position. That left it clear for Espoir D’Allen to return to winning ways for Gavin Cromwell. The Meath trainer is in great form and he sent out his 20th winner of the Irish jumps season on Sunday at Navan when Aasleagh Dawn took the opening handicap hurdle.

The main attraction at Navan was Apple’s Jade, who made an impressive winning return in the Lismullen Hurdle, a race she won 12 months ago. The Gigginstown mare will now go back to Fairyhouse and try to make it a hat-trick of wins in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at the beginning of next month. In a sad postscript to the race, the same owners’ Identity Thief, suffered a fatal injury when landing awkwardly.

Other notable winners at Navan included Enda Bolger’s Ballyoisin who impressed in the manner of his all-the-way win in the Fortria Chase, and Mullins’s Aramon, who emerged best from the For Auction Novice Hurdle.