< Road To Respect was the chief beneficiary as Yorkhill snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in the Ryanair Gold Cup Novice Chase at Fairyhouse.
Ruby Walsh sent 4-7 favourite Yorkhill to the front passing the post with a circuit to travel but he jumped out to his left, sometimes alarmingly, although he still held commanding advantage at the last.
He almost ran out approaching the fence, though, allowing the Noel Meade-trained Road To Respect (7-2) to hit the front, and Yorkhill couldn't claw back the deficit, going under by a neck.
Cheltenham Festival winner Let's Dance was a warm order to strike at the highest level for the first time in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final but had to settle for second behind stablemate Augusta Kate (8-1).
Let's Dance hit the front at the second-last but Augusta Kate went in pursuit and while she wasn't exactly fluent at the final flight, her stamina came into play after it and she denied Let's Dance by half a length.< Hurricane Ben made every post a winning one in the BoyleSports Novice Handicap Chase.
The James Sheehan-trained eight-year-old looked in trouble when market leader Don't Touch It loomed up turning for home, but Davy Russell hasn't asked for everything and Hurricane Ben pulled out plenty to cross the line with eight lengths in hand.
That completed a double for Russell, initiated when Tudor City (11-10 favourite) landed the Cusack Hotel Group Maiden Hurdle, while Gordon Elliott's 10-1 shot Fridaynightlights came out of the Gleesons Butchers Novice Handicap Hurdle on top.< Killaro Boy (6-1) wasn't the best treated by the conditions of the Agnelli Motor Park Rated Novice Chase but raised his game to a new level in beating Call It Magic by nine and a half lengths.
The valuable Tattersalls Ireland George Mernagh Memorial Sales Bumper brought day one of the Easter Festival to a close and went the way of the Meade-trained 11-8 favourite Red Jack
