< Quick Jack gave favourite-backers plenty to cheer about when proving too strong in the feature Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap on day one of the Galway Festival.

Tony Martin's five-year-old developed into a useful hurdler last winter and is still well handicapped in this code.

The 4-1 market leader scythed through the pack to make eyecatching headway approaching the turn and soon passed Grecian Tiger before running out a three-length victor in the hands of Steven Clements.< Jamaica confirmed the promise of his debut third by going two better in the claregalwayhotel.ie (C & G) EBF Maiden.

The money poured in for Aidan O'Brien's Galileo colt, forcing him down to 4-9 at the off, and although Joseph O'Brien had to get to work earlier than perhaps many anticipated, his mount responded well and passed the post three and a quarter lengths clear of Postulation

McKinley took another step forward by landing a competitive renewal of the Radissonhotelgalway.com & Galwaybayhotel.com Novice Hurdle.

All eight runners were in with a shout at the second-last but Willie Mullins' 7-1 chance, who made it third-time lucky over obstacles on his previous outing at Sligo, stayed on best to beat Ridestan by two and a quarter lengths.< Beckwith Star (12-1) took advantage of a rating 16lb lower than his chase figure by registering a three-and-a-quarter-length success in the Easyfix Rubber Products Handicap Hurdle.< Expensive Taste was last seen finishing in mid-division on the Dundalk Polytrack in October and had been gelded since then, but he returned a much improved animal and made a successful comeback as a 12-1 chance in the Claytonhotelgalway.ie Handicap.

Dermot Weld struck for the first time at this year's Festival when Timiyan (3-1) made a successful handicap debut in the Pillo Hotel Handicap, and the master of Rosewell was fancied to follow up with Call Vinnie in the Colm Quinn BMW Flat Race but he had to settle for second behind Princely Conn