< Benevolent put last month's odds-on bumper flop behind him with a much better display to take the Follow Fairyhouse On Twitter Maiden Hurdle on his jumps bow at the County Meath track.

Davy Russell, who went on to land a treble, was never far away on the Gigginstown House Stud-owned five-year-old and took charge of the race after overtaking long-time leader Kims Fancy between the final two flights.

Noel Meade's charge (7-4 favourite) wasn't particularly fluent over the last two hurdles, but was kept up to his work to beat Dale Street by a convincing two and a quarter lengths.

Russell made it two when the Charles Byrnes-trained Skibabe won for the first time in the Fairyhouse Event Centre Maiden Hurdle.

The champion jockey took the lead travelling well on the turn for home and the 11-4 chance was clear over the final two flights to win by 13 lengths after nearest challenger Velvet Bullet fell at the last.

Russell completed his treble, taking the lead in the jockeys' championship, when Noel Brett's Dactik (12-1) led two out and swept clear to take the second of the Fairyhouse.ie Handicap Hurdle races by seven lengths.

Michael Hickey's six-year-old Somedaysomehow (14-1) found most on the run-in to see off favourite Celtic Cailin in the Fairyhouse Premier Jump Racing Weekend Mares Maiden Hurdle.

Celtic Cailin led two out but put in a clumsy jump and Somedaysomehow, who had been making significant progress, joined her at the last before forging clear by a length and a quarter under Ben Dalton.

John Berry's Acriveen was sent off the outsider of the field at 25-1 for the Become A Member Of Fairyhouse Handicap Hurdle but there was no fluke about his victory as he pulled out plenty for Adam O'Neill to win by a length.

Andrew McNamara jumped into the lead on the George Webb-trained Underdefloorboards (11-2) at the final flight in the first of the Fairyhouse.ie Handicap Hurdle races and with leader Mini Budget making a hash of it, won by a length and three-quarters.