Almost five years since his last success over hurdles, Beef Or Salmon gained his second win on his sixth effort over flights since then, when landing the Irish Racing Yearbook Hurdle.
Andrew McNamara had to ask the 7/4 favourite a question when he dropped to the rear three out but he made smooth headway at the next, led approaching the last and was not extended for an easy 1 1/2L win.
Runner-up was the well-supported front-runner, You Sir (6/1 into 4/1). A bid for a fourth Lexus Chase at Leopardstown in twelve days time is next on Beef Or Salmon's agenda.
Michael Hourigan said afterwards, 'he is in good order. He is getting a bit cute at home so we had to come here to give him a workout.
'He was not doing much for Andrew until he gave him a back-hander. That should leave him right now for the Lexus Chase at Christmas.'
A low sun saw a hurdle omitted there and two fences were taken out of both the chases. Camptect was a notable non-runner with a stone bruise from the 3m beginners chase.
Paul Nolan has always stated that he expected McEvoy to be a better chaser and he lost his maiden tag on his twelfth start here. Johnny Cullen's mount just held off Bryansford Belle by a head.
Strong-favourite, Back To Bid fell at the ninth whilst Modular fell three out. The two jockeys involved, Paul Carberry and Davy Russell both had to sit out the following race.
Ken Whelan deputised for Russell on Slyguff Rory in the 2m 5f beginners chase. They were just nabbed by a short head by the Dessie Hughes-trained, Roger Loughran-ridden 25/1 shot (E76.40 on tote), Mr Fitzer.
Winner of a couple of handicaps at Limerick back in May, crucially one of those coming on heavy ground, Convincing got his jumping career off to a successful start in the opener.
A half-brother to a Listed winner called Heat Of The Night, the 8/1 chance beat the easy to back Alqaab by four and a half lengths.
Under Eddie Power, Convincing made his move two out, led approaching the last and drew clear on the run-in to go away and score for John Murphy.
He may have been bred by Harry Dobson and be a half-brother to a ten furlong winner on the level, but Wickford has stamina in abundance as he proved when taking the 2m 4f maiden hurdle.
Victorious in a point-to-point and a half length runner-up to Conna Castle on another occasion in that sphere, Colm Murphy's gelding was since a course bumper winner.
Here in the hands of 7Ib claiming amateur, Donie Fahy, the 13/8 favourite, led travelling best two out, and was ridden clear at the last to comfortably defeat Jazz Alley by 4L.
Raintown, one of two runners in the h'cap hurdle for Peter McCreery, supplied his jockey, Keith Clarke, with his sixth success when winning by 3L.
The 20/1 shot challenged from after two out, got to the front when Indian Pace made a mistake at the last, and stayed on well to go away and beat that rival.
A 4yo son of Raise A Grand, Raintown is a maiden on the flat but did made a winning bow over flights for Ger Lyons in August 2005 and this was a first win since then.
Castle Vic, the 4/1 market-leader in the bumper got the better of 9/2 shot Baltiman by a head for Willie Mullins and Katie Walsh.
Not surprisingly the Jackpot pool of E3,268 was not won and is rolled-over to Navan tomorrow.
