Vivo was confidently ridden by Charlie Swan to take the Heineken Handicap Hurdle, the most valuable race of the four day Killarney July meeting.
The grey gelding was brought wide in the straight by the former champion in search of better ground (officially yielding-soft), and headed Experimental before the last for a cosy 1 1/2L win.
Perugino Diamond landed this #30,000 event last year before going on to take the Guinness Galway Hurdle, and Vivo is likely to bid for the same big race double.
The Christy Roche-trained 8yo has been allotted 9.05 in the Ballybrit feature, while his owner J P McManus also has the topweight Grimes (12.00).
Experimental (9.07) may bid to reverse the placings, although trainer Philip Rothwell could revert him to the Flat for the McDonagh Handicap.
Tisrabraq made a successful transition to fences in the novice chase, leading three out under Ruby Walsh to score by 5L from Royal Marine.
Frances Crowley believes the 7yo may be best going left-handed but, as the winning syndicate are from Galway, he could still be on her Ballybrit team.
Val O'Brien has his string in fine form at present, and Half Barrell kept up the good work when drawing clear on the run-in for David Casey to beat Ballyvalogue by 2L in the handicap chase.
Pat Cosgrave was again seen to good effect aboard Iftatah, who was produced with a perfectly timed challenge to overhaul Toreero inside the final 50 yards of the 1m handicap.
Backcraft (6/4-5/2f) led over a furlong out to take the 1m maiden, but the Pat Smullen/Dermot Weld team were denied a double when Street Player (7/4-5/4f) was beaten 1L by Countess Sybil in the 1m6f event.
Dont You Dare led 1/4m out in the apprentice claimer, and kept on well for Michael Hussey to beat Kaldan Khan by 2 1/2L.
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