A record attendance of 46,498 witnessed a shock in the featured Guinness Galway Hurdle as 33/1 outsider More Rainbows triumphed under teenager Niall Madden.
Trainer Noel Meade bridged a gap of over twenty years in a race that provided one of his first major training successes with Pinch Hitter winning back-to-back runnings in 1982 and '83.
Meade's main hope Definate Spectacle fell when close-up at the second last, where the always prominent More Rainbows struck the front and soon went clear before holding on by a diminishing 1L from Tiger Cry.
This proved more than ample compensation for Madden, 19, who had finished second in yesterday's Plate aboard Ursumman but Philip Carberry picked up a two days whip ban on the runner-up.
The well-backed 2/1 favourite Cloone River fell while making progress at the third last, and John Cullen has been stood down for 24 hours with bruising to his right shoulder.
'Meade said, This race is very close to my heart, and I still think Pinch Hitter's first win was the best day of my life. We changed plans and had him very handy, and it seemed to work well.'
Naples completed another day to remember for Meade when running out a facile winner of the bumper in the hands of Nina Carberry, her third winner of the week.
Paul Nolan, out of luck in the feature, got the day off to a good start when Dix Villez made a successful switch to fences in the two and three quarter miles beginners chase.
The 2/1 favourite needed to dig deep on the run-in for John Cullen to beat main market rivals Andy Higgins and Amid The Chaos by a length and a half and a neck.
'He won two point-to-points but the heavy ground during the winter didn't suit him over hurdles. He battled hard there and jumped like a handicapper,' said Nolan.
He added, 'He will go for a winners race perhaps at Tralee or Listowel, and might be back here next year for the Plate.'
Monjoyau turned the 2m1f novice chase into a procession, cruising clear under a tight rein for Tony McCoy on the long run-in to beat Star Horse by an effortless 11L.
'He's got plenty of ability but doesn't always show it. He'll go for another winners race at Tralee or Listowel, and might be a nice horse next spring,' said trainer Edward O'Grady.
Robert also proved a convincing winner of the two and a half miles novice hurdle, drawing clear before the last under Paddy Flood to beat Somethingforsunday by five lengths.
'It won't be long before he goes chasing, possibly at Listowel, as I want to get some experience into him before next spring. He's a nice prospect, and the family like top of the ground,' said Dessie Hughes.
Helensburgh, well-supported from 2/1 down to 13/8 favourite, justified the confidence in the mile and a half handicap when given a positive ride by Declan McDonogh to beat Sea Skate by 1 1/2L.
'He's now won four out of six since we bought him for 8K last year, and he's one of my favourite horses. He improved quite a lot since Killarney and loves fast ground,' said Pat Hughes.
Pat Smullen opened his account for the week, as his boss Dermot Weld brought his tally to five wins at the Festival, when Society Hostess embarrassed the handicapper in the seven furlong fillies race.
The Moyglare Stud Farm home-bred quickened clear from the front off the home bend and there was a yawning gap of six lengths back to Szewinska (4/1-5/2fav) at the line.
'She was a bit unlucky in a big handicap last time at the Curragh and is progressing well. She loves fast ground, and will go now for the Listed Fairy Bridge Stakes at Tipperary (August 18),' said Weld.
John Oxx opened his account at Ballybrit this week when Akram drew clear in the straight under Fran Berry to beat Charasmatic Cat by a comfortable three lengths in the extended mile handicap.
'He's a relaxed, lazy colt who likes fast ground and will go for another handicap maybe over a bit further,' said the Currabeg trainer.
The Tote aggregate of 1,926,983 (up over 200,000 on last year) was a new Irish record, while the 957,344 bet with the bookmakers on the Galway Hurdle was also a National record for a single race.
Alan Magee
