< Mikael D'Haguenet displayed something of his old class when he won for the first time in two and a half years in the Trinity Motor Neuron Disease Research Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Willie Mullins' seven-year-old (evens favourite), a superb winner at the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals in 2009 but disappointing over fences, was sent straight into the lead by Paul Townend.

The writing looked on the wall when Head Of The Posse went past with a quicker jump at the final flight, but Mikael D'Haguenet was rousted along to retake the lead and he was firmly in command by a cosy length and a half at the line.

Mullins went on to a treble through Gigginstown House Stud-owned pair Toostrong and Sir Des Champs both in the hands of Davy Russell.

French import Toostrong (4-5 favourite) made a promising start to his Irish career when dismissing Star Neuville by a length and three-quarters in the first division of the Fairyhouse Premier Jump Weekend Maiden Hurdle.

Sir Des Champs (2-7 favourite), a winner at the Cheltenham Festival, had little more than a canter round to win the Johnny Lumley 'Arkle Groom' Lifetime Achievement Beginners Chase by eight and a half lengths.

Townend completed a double in the Bar One Racing Ballyhack Handicap Chase on Arthur Moore's 7-2 favourite Lastoftheleaders who travelled sweetly down the straight and eased away to score by 11 lengths.

Edward O'Grady's lightly raced six-year-old Staying Article (7-1) put up a fine performance to take the Bar One Racing Handicap Hurdle under top weight.

Paddy Mangan sent him on going to the second-last, but a slow leap at the final flight put him in jeopardy and he had to dig deep to repel Montan by three-quarters of a length.

Roger Loughran sent the Dessie Hughes-trained Schinkel into a marginal lead at the last in the Ryans Cleaning Event Specialists Handicap Hurdle and the 14-1 shot had to pull out the stops to hold Galant Ferns by three-quarters of a length.