Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh were upstaged at the final domestic meeting before Christmas as the odds-on Mourad was denied by Chicago Grey in the Horse And Jockey Hotel Hurdle at Thurles.
Mullins will be firing some of his most powerful guns at Leopardstown from St. Stephen's Day onwards and Mourad was fancied to lay the foundations for a successful meeting as the 4-11 favourite.
All was going well for Walsh, who will be aboard Kauto Star at Kempton on Saturday, until Gordon Elliott's Perth winner Chicago Grey challenged on the run-in and the 4-1 chance was marginally superior in claiming a head victory.
Winning owner John Earls said: "He might get a break now for a month or six weeks.
"He has the size and scope for fences and he could go at that game fairly soon.
"Hopefully we'll have many more good days with him when he goes chasing."
Edward O'Grady will also be represented at Leopardstown by the likes of Tranquil Sea and Osana, and Rigour Back Bob demonstrated the well-being of his yard when obliging as the 4-9 favourite in the Moycarkey Novice Hurdle
O'Grady said: "We're delighted and he has now won two out of three.
"He'll go for another winners hurdle and we might step him up a little in trip."< Brownpolish put in some clean jumping to break his duck at the sixth attempt with a 14-1 success in the INH Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle under Adrian Joyce.
Trainer David Kelly said: "He is a nice tough horse and Adrian gave him a super ride. The little bit of better ground today would have been a help to him."
Noel Meade and Nina Carberry teamed up with Cottage Star who shone as the 6-4 favourite in the Curaheen (Pro/Am) Flat Race, while Quarryfield Lass rolled back the years with a 20-1 shock in the Exit 6 to The Horse & Jockey Novice Handicap Hurdle.
