< Monalee continued his progress when running out an authoritative winner of the Surehaul Mercedes-Benz Novice Hurdle at Clonmel.
A winner on his hurdling debut at Punchestown before chasing home top-class novice Death Duty, Henry de Bromhead's charge was sent off 6-4 favourite for the Grade Three contest and was never far off the pace set by Rathnure Rebel
David Mullins sent his mount to the front rounding the home turn and although Battleford briefly threatened to make a race of it, the winner was ultimately well on top as he passed the post four and three-quarter lengths to the good.
Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh got the afternoon off to a winning start when Good Thyne Tara landed the Kilsheelan Mares Maiden Hurdle with the ease his odds of 4-11 suggested he would.
The dual bumper winner never looked in any danger on his hurdling bow and eased 10 lengths clear of White Lilac after taking it up before the second last.< Ask Nile (9-4) continued the good start for favourite backers with a gutsy victory in the Surehaul Race Day Maiden Hurdle, seeing off the challenge of Moroval by two and a half lengths.< Clarcam survived a late scare to record an eight career success in the Micro Dog ID Chase.
Having taken it up from the front-running Val De Ferbet two from home, Gordon Elliott's charge ploughed through the last but maintained his advantage to justify 6-5 favouritism by two lengths.< Samanntom (3-1) put in a fine display of jumping as he made all in the Derrygrath Novice Handicap Chase.
Sent straight to the front by Mark Enright, Aidan Fogarty's nine-year-old was asked questions by Blazing West on the home straight but had all the answers to repel that rival by three lengths.< Knockraha King (12-1) and Rock On Barney pulled well clear in the Minorstown Handicap Hurdle as Adrian Maguire's charge showed a fine attitude to score by half a length, while Island Master (8-1) took the concluding Micro Dog ID Maiden Hunters Chase by two lengths from Clondaw Frisby
