The 'King Of Ballybrit' began this year's Galway festival with a bang as Dermot Weld saddled a quick treble on Monday evening.
The master of Rosewell House took the opening three contests on the card with Ruby Walsh partnering the first two over hurdles.
Summer Soul (15/8f) had looked in trouble when front-runner Serve Time kicked on at the second last in the GPT Sligo Novice Hurdle.
The Danehill colt proved a game partner for Walsh, however, and clawed back that rival after the last to score by a length.
'That was a very truly run race and the first two are obviously very decent horses. I think there is a good Flat handicap in this horse - he is a real good staying type,' said Weld.
Zeroberto took the GPT Dublin Handicap Hurdle in good style and could bid to follow up in the Galway Hurdle on Thursday.
Walsh let the 9/2jf ease into the lead after the second last and he responded well when asked to quicken before the last, going on for a four-and-a-half-length victory over Thunder Road.
'Hopefully the penalty he'll get for this will put him into the Galway Hurdle. We did the double before with Ansar as he won this race and the Galway Hurdle.'
Fleeting Shadow (11/8f) completed the hat-trick with a game front-running performance in the GPT Access Equipment EBF Maiden, under Pat Smullen.
Chivalrous looked a big danger before the straight but couldn't find a way past the Weld colt, going down by a length.
'He did it nicely and we'll move him up to Group level now,' revealed the winning trainer.
'The Gr. 2 Futurity Stakes (August 26th) is a logical race but he's also in the Gr. 1 Phoenix Stakes (August 13th) and although that means coming back a furlong he has loads of natural pace. I think he'll make a nice miler next year.'
The feature event looked a competitive affair on paper but the Francis Flood-trained P'Tit Fute turned the 75,000 GPT Galway (QR) Handicap into a procession.
James O'Farrell kicked on three furlongs out on the gelding and soon went clear, coming home a 12-length victor from Navajo Chieftain.
'The plan was to give him a run earlier this year but with the firm ground we weren't able to. He stays well and the drop of rain we got was in his favour,' said Flood, who was landing the race for the first time.
The winner is entered in the Galway Hurdle and the Freshways Handicap Hurdle, on Saturday, and Flood said he would 'see how he comes out of this race.'
Seamus Heffernan stepped in for the winning ride on Raspberry Beret in the GPT Cork Handicap, delivering the Ger Lyons-trained filly inside the final furlong to collar Careless Abandon.
David Wachman and Wayne Lordan teamed up successfully when Almighty Jade stayed on strongly down the straight to take the GPT Van & Truck Rentals Handicap by a length-and-three-quarters from Cabo.
