< Rathlin made the most of his opportunity when the freeze relented sufficiently for Fairyhouse officials to give a belated green light to the two races over fences on the card.

The Gigginstown House Stud-owned seven-year-old landed his first victory over the bigger obstacles over course and distance last month and Davy Russell set out to repeat the trick in the Follow Us On Facebook Novice Chase.

Always in control of the race, Mouse Morris's charge (4-9 favourite) was followed up the straight by Banjaxed Girl but she was never a threat and finished two and three-quarter lengths behind.

In the other race over fences Sean Byrne's Lead Kindly Light (11-2), who beat Yeoman easily at Naas last time, repeated the dose in the Costa Coffee Dock Handicap Chase despite a ratings hike, winning by five lengths under Andrew Leigh.

There's no stopping the Willie Mullins bandwagon and the champion trainer put another on the board when jumps debutant The Bosses Cousin took the Corporate Hospitality At Fairyhouse Maiden Hurdle.

Patrick Mullins led all the way on the 5-4 favourite, who wasn't fluent early on but warmed to his task and ran clear after the last to beat Shannon Spirit by two and a quarter lengths.< Abou Ben who is back from a long lay-off and has very few miles on the clock for a 10-year-old, followed up a Navan victory by taking the Racegoer's Package 25 Euro Hurdle under Paul Townend.

Andy Oliver's charge (5-1) was still only third at the final flight and wasn't too clever at it either, but he battled down the outside and overhauled the leaders to score by half a length.

The Oliver McKiernan-trained Changing Times a course and distance scorer last month, shrugged off top weight to run out an emphatic winner of the Tote Sports Lounge Novice Handicap Hurdle.

Shane Crimin sent him past long-time leader Grey Area after the third-last and the 7-1 short drew steadily clear to finish 13 lengths to the good.