< Fiveforthree set himself up for a trip to the Cheltenham Festival when making a sparkling return to action in the Festival Free Upgrade Offer Ends Today Hurdle at Punchestown.
Willie Mullins' grey has had his fair share of problems and had been off since the spring of 2009, but he travelled smoothly behind the frontrunning Newmill over what was supposed to be an inadequate two miles.
Paul Townend eased him to the front after the last and just kept him up to his work to score by four lengths as the 4/7 favourite, with the World Hurdle now on the agenda.
Mullins and Townend followed up when MCR Hurdle runner-up Call The Police went one better in the Follow Us On Facebook Hurdle.
Sent off the 8-11 market leader, he cruised up to press for the lead approaching the final flight and after a spring-heeled leap propelled him in front, he sprinted six lengths clear of Heavenly Blues
The in-form team looked like completing a hat-trick when Riltree came there cruising in the Punchestown.com For Festival Offers Mares Maiden Hurdle, but she flattered to deceive and eventually had to settle for third behind 14/1 winner Avondhu Lady and Killtilane Rose < O Fortuna (9-1) was pulled up on his return to action at Cork but came on signficantly from that outing to repel Fever Pitch and Princeton Plains in the Festival Hospitality Maiden Hurdle (Div 1), and the second instalment went to gutsy 20-1 outsider Noel Browne
Paul Carberry gave 1-2 favourite Martin Scruff an ultra-confident ride in the Hen Party Heaven At The Festival Handicap Hurdle but he still had ground to make up on Turnonthegas (16/1) when seemingly going well at the last and couldn't quite bridge the gap.
There were several interesting newcomers in the Rockview (QR) INH Flat Race and John Kiely's 8/1 shot Reizovic fared best in a blanket finish.
