What's Up Boys was best on hand to capitalise from the withdrawal of Youlneverwalkalone in the Stanley Cooper Champion Hurdle when powering away in the hands of Richard Johnson to land the Grade 1 event in fine style.
A bumper winner here in 1998 when trained by Eric McNamara, What's Up Boys turned recent Aintree form on its head with impressive Liverpool winner Sackville trailing home a disappointing fifth.
What's Up Boys took up the running four flights from home with the Tony McCoy-ridden Copeland in close attendance. Sackville, who had the winner 12L behind at Aintree, made a mistake at that obstacle and was soon under pressure.
Turning the straight, Richard Johnson pushed on and opened up a two length advantage on the rest. Copeland drifted slightly left when landing over the last and finished one paced, posing no threat to the winner. What's Up Boys recorded a seven length win, returning to the winners circle at a generous price of 6/1.
Trainer Philip Hobbs revealed afterwards that What's Up Boys would not race over hurdles again.
'We were not sure of his preferred distance. We thought three miles was his trip but that seemed to find him out at Aintree. This two mile six furlong trip looks ideal', explained Hobbs.
'He came here on Monday but has not eaten up since then. But he showed no ill effects of that today', said Hobbs.
Liss A Paoraigh provided the single winner of the jackpot with #43, 578 and the chance of winning a brand new BMW car when drawing clear in the closing stages to win the Grade 1 Paddy Power Bookmakers Champion Flat Race.
The lucky jackpot winner, Ms Carmel O'Brien from Killmaley Co, Clare invested only #8 in her jackpot and now has the chance of walking away with a 2 door 323 series BMW if there is no single unit winner of the jackpot either tomorrow or Friday.
Liss A Paoraigh was settled on the heels of the leaders as they bunched rounding the turn. Far Horizon stretched ahead but idling horses provided Liss A Paoraigh with a sufficient gap to make her challenge through.
At first Pat Crowley's mount appeared reluctant to quicken but the filly soon regained her action and powered home to a three and a half length victory over Far Horizon.
Philip Dempsey, rider of bottom weight Natalie Knows, picked up a total seven day ban for two riding separate incidents. The stewards found Dempsey guilty of improper riding five furlongs from the finish and hit him with a five day ban. He was then penalized for careless riding one and a half furlongs out and received a two day suspension.
Amberleigh House battled gamely in the hands of Philip Carberry to win the Emo Oil Handicap Chase and winning trainer Michael Hourigan announced afterwards that the horse, winning for the sixth time, will be sold at the Doncaster sales in two week time.
Fourth after the second last, Carberry produced Amberleigh House upsides the front running Monnaie Forte and the tiring Grass Island. The winner stole a half length advantage jumping the last and just did enough to hold off Monnaie Forte at the finish by a length and a half.
'I thought Philip (Carberry) nearly rode the race too cool, I was willing him on after the third last and thought he should have been closer at the second last. But a win is a win and this is fantastic', declared a delighted Hourigan.
Ojay produced the best finish of the day when flying home on the stand side to deny the 2/1 favourite Kimberley victory in the J.F Dunne Insurances Handicap Hurdle.
The 14/1 shot 'appreciated the good ground' having run in testing conditions throughout the winter. Trainer Pat Hughes has the summer 'Galway festival in mind' for the five-year-old.
Willie Mullins appeared bullish with the prospect of sending The Next Step chasing later this year after the giant, long striding 14/1 chance recorded a bold one and a half length victory over Risk Accessor in the opening Noel C Ryan Memorial Novice Hurdle.
'He has won two hurdle races now, but he is a born chaser and jumper. We will put him away now, but can look forward to running him over fences later this year'.
Sheltering looked in complete control of the concluding Cox's Cash and Carry Champion Hunters Steeplechase but was gifted a rather generous winning margin after Satchmo (dreadful mistake) and Gunner Welburn (fell) put to rest any chance they had of reducing the deficit when making crucial errors at the last.
Edward O'Grady's charge fell at the fifth in the Christie's Foxhunter Chase at the Cheltenham festival but looked to appreciate today's ground passing the post a distance clear of the unfortunate Satchmo. The winner was returned the 9/4 favourite.
