Willie Mullins sent three runners to Cork but won with just one of them as Chateau Conti sparkled in the two-mile McCarthy Insurance Group Maiden Hurdle.
The five-year-old moved to the champion trainer after winning a couple of NH Flat races in France and was sent off the 2-5 favourite for his Irish debut.
Bowling along at the head of affairs, he was still to be asked a question by Ruby Walsh when his nearest pursuer Hardline crashed out at the third-last, and Chateau Conti coasted home to defeat Canelie by seven and a half lengths.
Mullins' Bon Papa was a red-hot favourite for the three-mile McCarthy Insurance Group Maiden Hurdle but after tanking through the race in the hands of Barry Geraghty, got three out wrong and came down.< Alkaa Lion was always to the fore and appeared to have matters sewn up after the last, but began to tread water and was grabbed on the line by Boru Boy (16-1) and Iconic Image < Blazer was a warm order for Mullins and Geraghty in the McCarthy Insurance Group Beginners Chase but after tracking front-running outsider Uncle Danny found less than expected and faded into third.< General Principle emerged as the chief threat to Uncle Danny, but John Queally's 33-1 shot kept responding and got the verdict by five lengths.
Recent Limerick winner Moores Road defied a 9lb rise to follow up in the Gerardine McCarthy Memorial Handicap Hurdle.
The Michael Hourigan-trained 4-1 chance led the chasing pack as Rory O'Moore established a massive lead, but eroded the gap before the penultimate flight and then had enough in reserve to repel Scoir Mear by half a length.< Indian Monsoon (9-4) took a major step forward when third at Limerick's Christmas meeting and confirmed that promise by landing the McCarthy Insurance Group Rated Novice Hurdle for Charles Byrnes and Davy Russell.< Sumos Novios (10-1) made a successful return in the McCarthy Insurance Group Handicap Chase, while the well-bred West Coast Time won on debut in the McCarthy Insurance Group Flat Race.
