Twinlight© Photo Healy Racing
< Twinlight starred on a big day for both Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh as he took the feature Ladbrokes Ireland Fortria Chase at Navan.
The seven-year-old (100-30), who has been a prolific winner early in the season in the last couple of years, was never far off the pace set by Special Tiara for most of the way in the Grade Two contest.
He asserted on the run to the final fence and forged clear to beat the joint-favourite Days Hotel by seven and a half lengths, and looks likely to go for the Hilly Way at Cork next.
Mullins was completing a treble after his high-class stayer Zaidpour embarked on a new season with a bloodless victory in the Grade Two Ladbrokes Ireland Lismullen Hurdle.
Walsh went straight to the front on the 8-13 favourite and after bowling along happily, the eight-year-old was never threatened in the straight and won comfortably by two and a half lengths from Noble Endeavor who edged Darwins Fox for second late on.
There was a Gigginstown one-two in the 'For Auction' Novice Hurdle when the Mullins-trained Mckinley (11-4), up with the pace all the way in the Grade Three contest in the hands of Bryan Cooper, skipped clear after the second-last to beat Fort Smith by two and three-quarter lengths, with Princely Conn a disappointing third.
All eyes were on Mullins' classy French import Uradel in the Join Navan Members 2015 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle, but the odds-on hotpot found nothing as Jessie Harrington's Kabjoy (9-2) stretched five and a half lengths clear under Robbie Power.< Gilgamboa took smart hurdling form into the Crystalski.ie EBF Beginners Chase and Enda Bolger's 5-4 favourite caught long-time leader Blood Cotil two out before a quick jump at the last allowed him to go a length and a half clear under Mark Walsh.< Harvey Logan (6-4 favourite) followed up his Naas success with a gutsy victory under Niall Madden in the two-mile handicap hurdle, while Ruby Walsh completed his own treble when driving evens favourite Gallant Oscar home in a three-way fight for the stayers' handicap hurdle.
