< Bishopsfurze ran out a smooth winner of the Surehaul Mercedes-Benz Novice Hurdle at Clonmel & ndash; despite giving his supporters a scare with mistakes at the final two flights.
The 9-10 shot held his stablemate Skorcher by seven lengths to give trainer Willie Mullins a one-two, though he hit the penultimate hurdle and flattened the last.
Despite those errors through lack of concentration, he looked good in the hands of Paul Townend and could be bound for Cheltenham where he holds entries in three novice hurdles.
Mullins said: "I thought he was gone at the second-last and he was lucky to stand up.
"Paul said he was idling in front. He said he travelled so well he had to go to the front.
"He showed today that he has a real engine."
Mullins also took the main supporting race when Dooneys Gate was a convincing winner of the Kilcash Chase.
The trainer`s son, Patrick Mullins, made his challenge at the third-last and nothing could live with the 10-year-old in the closing stages as the 2-1 favourite strolled to victory by 13 lengths from Northern Alliance
"He ran well last time and jumped great today. I was just a bit worried about the ground being a bit dead for him today," said Mullins snr.
"He's in the Grand National but could run in the Topham instead. He would be a nice spin for Patrick over those fences."
Magen`s Star (15-8 favourite) looks a mare to follow after Tommy Stack`s charge made it two out of two over jumps in the Kilsheelan Mares Novice Hurdle, bolting up by 15 lengths from Stephanie Kate under Davy Condon.
"She loves that ground and can't get it soft enough so plans are ground dependent," said Stack.
"She hadn't run in 90 days as she had an infection in a joint and it blew up a bit. She had to stand in for a fortnight."< Down In Neworleans (11-10 favourite), trained by Mags Mullins, ran his rivals ragged winning division two of the Fethard Maiden Hurdle by 28 lengths under 3lb claimer Danny Mullins, while Dessie Hughes` Definite Class (2-1) collared Rathlin on the run-in to take division
