Seven pound claimer from Athlone, Adrian Joyce, registered the eighth win of his career and by far his biggest to date when Cane Brake grinded out victory in a grief stricken feature.
Leading at the last in the Paddy Power Chase, the Sadler's Wells top-weight was a game all-out half a length scorer over Ballistraw.
Fifteen of the twenty eight starters managed to complete the course. Robbie Power and Philip Enright went to hospital afterwards for x-rays following falls and thankfully all horses were reportedly ok.
Tom Taaffe, the winning trainer commented, 'Adrian did exactly everything that I told him and Cane Brake is a tough classy staying horse.
'He put up an exemplary performance in the Troytown and he was in the same form if not better form coming here than the last day.
'He could be a horse for an English National although I don't know if the owners would be too keen on that.' William Hill gave him a 33/1 quote for the Aintree highlight.
Merdeka took it up six from home in the beginners chase at Limerick, and he survived a bad mistake at the last under Shane McGovern, to complete an across the card double for Tom Taaffe.
Twice a course winner over further, Nickname again displayed his liking for very testing underfoot terrain when leaving his rivals for dead from the back of the last in the Grade 1 Chase.
The Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase was a searching examination of stamina despite it's two mile one furlong distance as Central House and Jim rotated up front.
Hi Cloy was badly hampered when the latter departed two out and he could only manage third after the 14L victor took it up at the last and stayed on strongly to beat the favourite, Central House.
Niall Slippers' Madden, fresh from his win in the Christmas Hurdle on Jazz Messenger at Kempton yesterday, was understandably impressed as was the trainer, Martin Brassil.
He said of his first time tongue-tied French-bred, 'there are a couple of Graded Chases at Punchestown and Naas that he could go for now.
'Then he might go for the Queen Mother Champion Chase if there was a cut in the ground.' Sean Graham make him a 16/1 shot from 33s for that race.
One got the distinct impression that we were witnessing two very good novices when De Valira beat Catch Me by a neck in the paddy power.com Future Champions Novice Hurdle.
Andrew Lynch's mount arrived travelling well to dispute the lead at the last, was ridden to gain a narrow lead on the flat and despite edging left close home, he just prevailed.
Michael O'Brien's half-brother to Valiramix, a grandson of Condessa, a Yorkshire Oaks heroine of times past, then survived a Steward's Enquiry.
De Valira got best-price quotes of 12/1 for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle from both Boylesports and Sean Graham.
Island Life was available at 8/1 in morning betting but his starting price was half that (from 6s on course) and as a son of Turtle Island he got through the heavy ground best to bolt-in in the opener.
Blinkered for the first time last time, he made all for an easy 7L win over Jack Absolute in similar conditions at Clonmel and it was a case of more of the same here.
Making all under Paul Carberry, he drew clear from 2 out and was eased after the last to this time beat Jack Absolute by an unextended 18L. Sean Graham make Noel Meade's horse 25/1 for the Triumph Hurdle.
A day on from their Grade 2 success together with Lounaos, Eoin Griffin and Barry Geraghty again teamed up to good effect with Kendor Dine in the four-year-old maiden hurdle.
This fellow led from the last and was soon ridden clear to easily beat Pompeius Magnus by 4L. The well-backed Desert Abbey (7/2 in the morning into 2/1 fav) could only manage fifth.
Dosco has now won four of his last five, all in the last couple of months, defying the handicapper with ease under Conor Maxwell for Dessie Hughes in the long distance hurdle.
Notre Pere displayed deeper reserves of stamina than Mick The Man in the bumper. This one was crediting Jim Dreaper and Richard Harding with a win.
