< Grey Soldier earned his spot in the Galway Hurdle with a battling victory in the Seamus Mulvaney Crockafotha Handicap Hurdle - part of a near-45-1 treble for Gordon Elliott and Paul Carberry at Bellewstown.

The pair have been in terrific form of late and their good run continued by landing the feature race, although Carberry had to use all his strength in the saddle after a mistake at the last.

Thankfully the 2-1 favourite responded to his jockeys urgings to beat Not To Know by half a length.

"I'm delighted this horse won, he deserved it," said Elliott.

"Paul was brilliant once again, he has been riding out for us for a while now so he knows all the horses which is a huge help.

"We always thought this horse was a Galway Hurdle horse, but he has disappointed us. After that performance he'll definitely have an entry in the Hurdle."

The pair won the opening Glebe House Stud Maiden Hurdle with Hamalka (7-1) which went down well with the local crowd.

"It's great for the owners who are locals from Bellewstown so it's happy days for them," added Elliott.

While Russian War (9-10 favourite) was another who needed all Carberry's strength in the Grangeclare Paddocks Open Farms Maiden Hurdle.

"Paul is a genius, he is riding out of his skin at the moment," said Elliott.

Eoin Doyle recorded an across-the-card double when Mojito Royale (8-1) followed up the earlier victory of The Fonze (9-4) at Limerick.

The Fonze was recording his 14th career success in the Adare Festival Weekend Hurdle.

Also at Limerick Andrew McNamara and Edward O'Grady recorded a double.< Armaramak (5-1) took the 22nd July Twilight Racing Beginners Chase to earn a trip to Galway while Manhattan Boy (5-2 joint favourite) landed the www.thetote.com Galway Plate Trial Handicap Chase, after which O'Grady said: "He'll be entered in the Galway Plate but I wouldn't say he has any chance of getting into it."

However McNamara picked up a five-day ban for failing to weigh in after the first race causing Golden Grimshaw who finished second, to be disqual