In a finish to match the Galileo/Fantastic Light showdown here in 2001, Like-A-Butterfly won the Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown this afternoon.
A thrilling race saw the Christy Roche-trained mare bring to an end the winning run of Limestone Lad before a crowd of 9,752.
Limestone Lad tried to make all but was unable to establish his customary long lead at any stage. He was joined by the 6/4 favourite early in the straight and the pair quickly pulled clear.
Like-A-Butterfly held a narrow lead at the last and was all out to maintain the advantage on the run to the line under Charlie Swan. As usual, Limestone Lad refused to lie down and was only denied by a head.
Stage Affair was 13 lengths away in third and may go chasing in the near future while Scottish Memories faded before the second last and was a poor fourth, with Paul Carberry blaming the soft ground.
Noel Meade added that Scottish Memories needed the run and is a hard horse to get and keep fit.
Christy Roche said, 'This is on a par with Cheltenham for me. She gave all the signs before hand that she was well and this race will bring her on for the Festival.
'This horse loves to win as she has shown before. Limestone Lad is a tiger and very hard to beat.'
Bookmaker reaction was fairly predictable with the mare shortening to 8/1 for the Champion Hurdle while Limestone Lad, who now goes for the Boyne Hurdle at Navan, is now vying for favouritism with Baracouda for the Stayers' event.
On an afternoon when there was no shortage of short-priced favourites, 2/7 chance Solerina won the Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle unchallenged.
She gave the Bowe family a measure of compensation for the heart breaking defeat of Limestone Lad when winning by an easy six lengths from her only serious rival Moore's Law
The first short-priced favourite of the afternoon, Back In Front, duly obliged in the Tote Account Maiden Hurdle.
Leading at the final flight, the 4/7 shot was chased all the way to the line by Arch Stanton, but won a shade cosily in the end.
The pair pulled four and a half lengths clear of the promising Lost Time and Edward O'Grady's winner will have another run before the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Bust Out justified his position at the head of the market in the Arkle Chase but he too has his pursuers on the run-in.
Although only fifth over the final fence, Native Scout soon emerged as the greatest threat to the favourite and at one stage looked like getting to the front.
But Barry Geraghty is a difficult man to beat these days and he kept Bust Out up to his work to win by a length.
Winning trainer Jessica Harrington, who runs Moscow Flyer at Punchestown next weekend, said, 'He idled in front and would be much better with a lead. He goes for the Arkle at Cheltenham now'.
It was not all joy for the Harrington camp as they suffered a terrible blow when Soltero was killed in a fall three fences from home.
The short-priced favourite not to visit the winners' enclosure was The Kop End who, at odds of 4/5, could only finish third behind newcomer Storm Boxer, trained by Paddy Mullins.
Billy The Snake, an absentee from the Thyestes Chase on Thursday, got up on the line to take the Clarkson Financial & Property Handicap Chase.
Pat Hughes' charge is now in line for a 35,000 bonus put up by the race sponsors if he can now win a handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Winning jockey John Cullen was suspended for two days for using his whip with excessive force and frequency.
Fairwood Heart, tailed off throughout in the Pierse Hurdle last time, ran out the easiest of winners in the 2m6f handicap hurdle. Those who backed the 20/1 winner on the Tote were rewarded with a dividend of 53.50.
