Davy Roche brings Identify Thief home in front of Tully East and Finny Maguire© Photo Healy Racing
Sandra Hughes landed her first Grade One success since taking over the training licence from her late father Dessie when Lieutenant Colonel won a dramatic renewal of the Bar One Racing Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse.
Annie Power's absence meant her Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Zaidpour went off the favourite, but he fell in mid-race and brought down King Of The Picts in the process.
That left Little King Robin still blazing a trail up front, but the gallant mare folded when tackled in the straight and Lieutenant Colonel (7-2) took over two out before running on strongly to withstand Jetson s challenge by four lengths under Bryan Cooper.
The jockey completed a Grade One double in the Gigginstown colours when high-class hurdler Valseur Lido stepped forward from his winning Punchestown debut over fences to capture the Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase.
In what looked a hot renewal, the Mullins-trained 7-2 shot travelled well as he took charge after the second-last and had no trouble beating Apache Stronghold by an impressive eight lengths.
On a distinctly mixed day for Mullins he took the Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle with Nichols Canyon after much-vaunted stable companion Allez Colombieres was pulled up with what turned out to be a fatal injury early on in the Grade One.
Paul Townend took full advantage on former smart Flat racer Nichols Canyon (7-2), who cleared away between the final two flights and finished five lengths ahead.
Mullins introduced a smart youngster when the ex-French Kalkir (9-10 favourite) took it up two out and ran away with the Bar One Racing Juvenile 3-Y-O Hurdle, winning by eight lengths in Ruby Walsh's hands to head the market for the Triumph Hurdle.
Robert Tyner's 7-2 favourite Embracing Change got up on the line under Philip Enright to deny Sword Fish by a short head in an epic finish to the Bar One Racing Porterstown Handicap Chase , while Davy Russell gave Ros Brin (12-1) a patient ride to take the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Handicap Chase.
