Punchestown survived an early inspection and Noel Meade will have been pleased with that as Cross Appeal produced an accomplished round of jumping to land the Christmas Parties At Punchestown Beginners Chase.< Imperial Shabra led the field for much of the race but could not shake off the 9-1 winner, who took up the running at the second last under Davy Condon.
It was hard work on the home straight, but Cross Appeal was always in command and came home by three and three-quarter lengths, with the running-on Stonemaster snatching second.
Henry De Bromhead looks to have another promising chaser in his ranks after Days Hotel struck on his debut over fences in the Dobbins Panoramic Restaurant Beginners Chase.
Andrew Lynch took up the running at the third last on the 7-2 second favourite, and was not hard pressed to beat market leader Nearest The Pin by 10 lengths.< Make A Track hung on grimly to land the Punchestown Event Centre Maiden Hurdle.
Davy Russell pushed the 5-2 chance clear before the final flight and that proved a winning move, as he fended off the late surge of Reizovic to score by three-quarters of a length.< Cairdin got the better of a thrilling duel with Sin Palo to land the 10 Euros Admission To All Non-Festival Meetings Maiden Hurdle.
Ruby Walsh just edged ahead on Sin Palo at the final flight, but Cairdin (15-8 favourite), who had been prominent from much earlier in the race, battled back gamely for Danny Mullins to win by three-quarters of a lenth.
Christy Roche's 9-2 chance Groody Hill opened his account in fine style when easing to victory under Alan Crowe in the Punchestown Annual Membership Handicap Chase, while the 2012 Five Day Festival Handicap Hurdle went the way of runaway scorer Irish Soul (11-4 favourite) under Paddy Mangan.
