Limestone Lad continued his tremendous winning strike in the featured Ballymore Properties Hatton's Grace Hurdle when he recorded a bloodless victory in the hands of Paul Carberry.
Carberry wasted no time in seizing the initiative after flagfall and set a strong gallop up front from the chasing 2/1f Ned Kelly with the fancied Liss A Paoraigh, and Tony McCoy, content to race back in third.
However, when Carberry asked a question on the run to the 3rd last the gallant Limestone Lad quickened the tempo once again with Ned Kelly (burst blood vessel) first to crack and then Liss A Paoraigh finding no more to finish 2nd.
A rapturous reception greeted James Bowe's charge on his return to the winners enclosure after his 3 1/2L success, after which Michael Bowe, son of the veteran permit holder said:
'He's like an old wine - improving with age. He's happy at this hurdling game and is as good as he was two years ago.'
On future plans for Limestone Lad, who has now won 27 times from his 51 races to date, Bowe added:
'He'll run at Navan in two weeks time and then head to Leopardstown at Christmas. At this stage I'd be leaning towards the Stayers Hurdle although if Istabraq was taken out of the Champion Hurdle and the going turned up soft I would only then consider that race next march.'
Bookmakers reacted by cutting the 9-Y-O to 7/2 (from 5/1) for the Stayers Hurdle.
The layers were also impressed after the Boyle Bookmakers Royal Bond Novice Hurdle when Like-A-Butterfly simply destroyed her four rivals under Charlie Swan.
The Christy Roche-trained mare is now a 7/2 chance (from 6/1) with Cashmans for the Supreme Novice Hurdle at the Festival next year but Christy Roche was a little cautious:
'She has a good bit to learn about jumping as I thought she was a bit big and slow. She'll head for Leopardstown at Christmas.'
Noel Meade was overjoyed after Harbour Pilot collared front-running Risk Accessor over the last to land the Pierse Drinmore Chase over 2m4f with warm 11/10 favourite Macs Gildoran a well beaten third.
'I always thought he would make a good chaser. He jumped well and stays and I'm thrilled. He'll run in the 3m William Neville & Sons Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas next and at this stage I'd be thinking in terms of the Sun Alliance Chase next year,' said the Navan trainer.
The Jackpot pool swelled to over #48,000 and those who banked on Davenport Millenium in the concluding leg were duly rewarded with a dividend of #265.21 when Ruby Walsh conjured up a renewed effort after the last to forge ahead close home for victory.
Willie Mullins said afterwards, 'Ruby thought he wants better ground and I'd say he needs 2m4f to be at his best. I was a little disappointed with his jumping also.'
