Kevin Manning, right, keeps Parish Hall up to his work at the Curragh© Photo Healy Racing
Jim Bolger's high-class four-year-old Parish Hall made a winning return to the racetrack with a decisive victory in the Irish Open Alleged Stakes at the Curragh.
Not seen in public since beating Power to win the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in October 2011, the 11-8 favourite was settled in rear by Kevin Manning and began to make a forward move a quarter of a mile out.
He got his head in front inside the final furlong and beat off the front-running Inis Meain before going away to score by a length and a half despite wandering a little.
Champion apprentice Ronan Whelan captured the main event when Custom Cut sprung a surprise in the Big Bad Bob Gladness Stakes (Group Three).
The George Kent-trained four-year-old, 25-1 after finishing near the back in the Lincolnshire, went straight to the front and responded gamely when strongly challenged by Nephrite to win by half a length.
Whelan doubled up when the Patrick Prendergast-trained Tantalising (4-1 co-favourite) ran on well to hold the fast-finishing Fantasy King by a neck in the Irish Field Handicap.
Aidan O'Brien's three-year-old Moth looks set for a big season judged on how impressively she won the Cancer Clinic Research Trust EBF Fillies Maiden on her seasonal bow.
Joseph O'Brien sat near the back on the daughter of Galileo (11-8 favourite), easing towards the leaders inside the final quarter-mile before asking her to quicken up, which she did in eyecatching style to surge four and a half lengths clear.
The Ballydoyle team made it two when Duke Of Marmalade's half-brother Ruler Of The World (2-1) collared Manalapan close home to record a winning debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden by three-quarters of a length.
Paul Deegan's newcomer Fast In The Wind (14-1) claimed the spoils in a bunch finish to the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden for juveniles, finding a turn of foot for Colm O'Donoghue to edge out the odds-on Coach House by half a length.
