Kevin Prendergast and Declan McDonogh dominated on day two of the Festival when teaming up for a treble, highlighted by Eklim in the featured McDonogh Handicap.
The 3yo colt was behind most of his 17 rivals on the descent to the home bend but quickened well from the furlong pole to beat Fearn Royal by a length and a half.
Senators Alibi was a further half length adrift in third, while well-backed 3/1 favourite Cache Creek didn4t enjoy the clearest of runs but came home well in fourth.
4He4s a good horse on that ground and, if its soft, he could go for the Cambridgeshire. He was second in a Listed race last year, and we4ll give him another go in that company,4 said the Curragh handler.
Prendergast and McDonogh were on the mark earlier with another for Hamdan Al Maktoum as Takrice made a successful debut in the two-year-old fillies maiden.
The daughter of Cadeaux Genereux was brought wide to challenge off the final bend, and stretched clear in the closing stages to beat 1/1 fav Summer Sunset by three lengths.
4I thought she would run well but was pleasantly surprised the way she did it. She handled the ground well, and will probably head for the Moyglare Stud Stakes4, said Prendergast.
Blava completed the 615/1 treble, the second of McDonogh's career, when prominent throughout in the 3yo maiden to beat Alone He Stands by a head.
The Irish Grand National is the long-term aim for Sum Leader, who looked a useful staying novice when taking the two and three quarter miles winners chase.
Barry Geraghty4s mount traveled strongly on the downhill run to the final two fences in the dip, and drew clear on the long run-in to score by 11 lengths from Beausheram.
4He will stay novice chasing this season, and hopefully can develop into a National horse. He4s lightly-framed, and needs three to four weeks between his races,4 said trainer Gerry Keane.
4A fantastic ride4 is how trainer Willie Mullins described Ruby Walsh4s performance on Clounties Hill after he justified favouritism in the maiden hurdle.
The six-year-old gelding joined Artane Boys and Faithful Manager approaching the last, and needed all of Walsh4s strength to get home by three quarters of a length.
4He pulls very hard but Ruby put him to sleep. He jumped a bit big, and the plan is go chasing after another run or two over hurdles,4 said Mullins.
There was another vintage effort in the saddle from Michael Kinane in the seven furlongs handicap as favourite Huxley (5/1-2/1) landed a massive gamble.
The Paul Roche-trained gelding looked a forlorn hope entering the straight but, despite hanging to the right, was galvanised by the champion to amazingly beat Nick The Brief by a length and a half.
'Mick said Galway's made for him when unsaddling at the Curragh last time. He told me that before with Larifarrri and Sheer Tenby, and that's the third time he's been right,' said Tramore-based Roche.
Another well-backed 2/1 favourite obliged in the concluding two miles handicap as Blue Away (Fran Berry) cruised to the front over two furlongs out to beat Golden Triangle by a cosy 2 1/2L.
The attendance of 21,103 was down a bit on last year's figure of 22,286, while the Tote aggregate of 1,018,586 was over 50,000 euro less than 2002.
Alan Magee
