Farmer Brown thrilled a very large crowd at Ballybrit as the well-backed 9/2 favourite easily landed the featured Guinness Galway Hurdle for Pat Hughes and Davy Russell.
The six-year-old gelding cut through the 20 runner field to lead off the home bend and had plenty in reserve to beat British raider Freeloader by 2 1/2L with Eagle's Pass 1L further back in third.
'I knew he was in great form coming here, he has the gears and he had his ground as he doesn't want extremes. He's achieved his target,' said Hughes after winning this race for the second time.
Russell earlier initiated a double on the afternoon as Field Commander coped well with a step up in distance to complete a hat-trick in the 2m4f novice hurdle.
The Michael Hourigan-trained gelding was always travelling strongly and quickened clear after two out to beat Jadanli by a comfortable length and a quarter.
'He improved again from his previous win at Killarney and, while he will need a break soon, he should make a nice horse for next spring,' said Hourigan.
Galway Plate winning trainer Liam Burke was successful again 24 hours later when Prairie Moonlight took the 2m1f novice chase in fine style.
The Monsun mare cruised to the front soon after the last for Paddy Flood and stayed on strongly up the hill to beat Smuggler's Song by seven lengths.
'The owners want to breed from her so she will probably only have a few more runs. It would be great to get her some black type over fences,' said a delighted Burke.
There was plenty of drama in the opening 2m6f beginners chase with Beautiful Vision exiting at the first and fellow 4/1 joint favourite Reisk Superman brought down five out.
Only half of the 18 runners eventually completed with 16/1 chance Coin Man getting up in the final strides under Shay Barry to deny outsider Knuckahaduve by a head.
Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen both recorded their fourth victory of the week as In A Rush bravely held off Perfect Memory (Kieren Fallon) by a head in the 7f handicap.
'That was a great, strong drive from Pat to add to another he gave Princely Hero in the last race here yesterday. The fast pace suited our filly,' said Weld.
The progressive Eight Up recorded his third win this year when Colm O'Donoghue's mount got the better of a protracted duel with Mine'sasmallone by 1L in the 12f handicap.
Shayrazan caused a shock when getting a late run up the far rail for Seamie Heffernan to beat Master Marvel by half a length in the mile handicap.
Recovery Man (3/1-2/1) sent favourite backers home happy when taking the bumper in runaway fashion under Nina Carberry.
The attendance of 46,637 was down 1,483 on the record Ladies Day figure of 48,120 of last year, while the Tote aggregate broke through the two million barrier.
The Tote aggregate of 2,071,682 was well up on the corresponding figure of 1,788,246 last year.
Alan Magee
