There was a third Galway Ladies Day 2019 success for Willie Mullins, and a second for Paul Townend, when Foveros took the honours in the Guinness Novice Hurdle.

For good measure the stable also sent out the second, Little Nugget in what was a seventh success at the Ballybrit extravaganza this year for the Closutton team.

They all had chances until late on in the small field extended two and a half miler.

Favourite Doctor Duffy didn’t come up to the expectation of those that backed him from 11/8 into 6/5, finishing fourth.

At the finish Foveros had half a length to spare over Little Nugget, with a length and a half and a neck to Macgiloney and Doctor Duffy in third and fourth.

Earlier Dandy Mag set the ball rolling for Mullins under his nephew David in the opener, whilst winner two was Wicklow Brave (Townend) in the Grade Three novice chase.

"Paul (Townend) said he has some engine to extricate himself from where he was in behind, and once he got a bit of daylight he was gone through and there wasn't much that any of the others could do about it," said Willie Mullins.

"Our other filly (Little Nugget), she's smaller, and she ran some race as I didn't expect her to run a race like that but there wasn't any other race for her here this week."

Regarding his own recent illness, he stated "I've got a great team at home. When I was laid up there a few weeks ago between Patrick, David Casey, Ruby I just said to them to put a team together for Galway so obviously they did something right so I'll have to thank them hugely.

"All my owners I also have to thank and they mapped out all the races for the horses to run in. We worked them and they more or less picked the races in which they ran in as well.

"They didn't do too bad so a big thanks to them from myself and Jackie."

(TW & EM)