With Solerina and her stable companion, Florida Coast both absentees, the McCabe Builders Boyne Hurdle looked like it would be easy pickings for Rosaker and so it proved at Navan today.
Noel Meade's representative went off at odds of 1/5, and fully justified his price under Paul Carberry, who never had to ask his mount the slightest question to dispose of Prince Of Tara by 4L.
Meade confirmed the 7yo on target for the Stayers Hurdle at Cheltenham (unchanged at 40/1 with Cashmans), saying 'Baracouda looks a cert but we can't win if we don't run.'
The Meade/Carberry alliance doubled their score later in the day when the long-absent Sir Oj, quite a solid 5/2 'jolly', made a winning hurdling debut in the large field 2m 2f maiden.
Fresh from a double at Newbury yesterday, Ruby Walsh was back on Irish soil and teamed up with his father, Ted aboard True Blue Victory to capture the other Grade 2 event, the betfair.com Novice Chase.
Quickening well on the run-in, the 7/2 shot outpaced favourite, Jim by 2 1/2L prompting Walsh senior to say 'the favourite was vulnerable over the trip and the blinkers have helped my fellow.'
Eamonn Sheehy was another man to make the headlines on Saturday with Rathgar Beau triumphing at Gowran and Satco Express gave him further cause for celebration by taking the 3m novice chase.
The 9/4 market leader looked to have forfeited his chance when blundering four out in the Bar-One sponsored contest but showing great staying power under Shay Barry flew home to win by a length.
Sheehy sees the Irish National as a likely target saying 'he scoped rotten after the Thyestes but I knew he was back in form and while it still a long way off, the Irish National is the plan.'
A good gamble was landed in the opening h'cap chase when Over The First (7s into 4) took the prize. However, those who had invested in the plunge couldn't have held out much hope at the final fence.
Front runner, Native Sessions looked sure to score at that stage, but David Casey got a great tune out of Charlie Swan's charge on the run in to hit the front close home, prevailing by a length.
Kevin O'Brien will adopt a 'wait until we see how he is in the morning' attitude before deciding whether to turn out Jolly Sharp again tomorrow after the bottom weight took the 2m h'cap hurdle.
Outsider of the six strong field at 14/1, the flat-bred made all under Johnny Allen to beat fellow long-shot Max Time, delighting O'Brien who described his winner as a horse who'd had his problems.
Forty Licks in the hands of J P Magnier took a decent winners bumper, the 6/4 joint favourite was gaining his third win on the bounce and got the better of a good tussle with Homer Wells.
