In a different league - Un De Sceaux from Rory O'Moore and Our Ollie at Thurles © Photo Healy Racing
< Un De Sceaux was by some distance the most exciting horse on display at Thurles and Willie Mullins' unbeaten French import recorded a bloodless victory in the Horse & Jockey Hotel Hurdle.
Impressive in two starts for the champion trainer at Punchestown last season, the five-year-old was sent off the 1-16 favourite against two inferior opponents and Ruby Walsh sent him straight to the front.
Bowling along merrily and skipping over his hurdles, he beat Rory O'Moore by 29 lengths without ever being challenged, and he remains a dark horse for the Champion Hurdle next March.
Walsh later walked away from a nasty fall when the luckless Mullins-trained Urano crashed to the ground after clipping heels heading towards the final flight in the INH Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle.
Four horses were still involved at the time and the favourite was coming to mount a strong challenge, but the race went to Davy Russell on Dessie Hughes's 5-2 chance Thunder And Roses who won by a length.
Jim Dreaper's 7-4 favourite Los Amigos has been in fair form over fences and took the switch in his stride as he led before two out and stayed on well to take the Exit 6 To The Horse & Jockey Rated Novice Hurdle by three-quarters of a length under Keith Donoghue.
Punters who backed 7-2 favourite Bendala Bleu in the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Chase soon knew their fate as the six-year-old was reluctant to start and set off well behind before being pulled up.
The race went to Gordon Doyle's 4-1 second favourite Foritsa who settled in second and led two out before pulling steadily away to account for Moiqen by an eased-down eight and a half lengths under Adam O'Neill.
Colm Murphy's 9-4 favourite The Cookie Jar the mount of Jody McGarvey, made the most of her weight advantage in a tussle with Dantes Firth to forge three lengths clear in the Gift Horse Gallery Horse & Jockey Hotel Mares Maiden Hurdle.
