Review leopardstown 24th Jan

< Solwhit put up a commanding performance to record his fifth victory at Grade One level in the Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The 5-6 favourite was never far away as Celestial Halo set the pace, and when the leader faded he was driven along by Davy Russell to challenge Sublimity approaching the final flight.

Charles Byrnes's star got the better of their duel on the run-in and galloped on strongly to win by four and a half lengths from the staying-on Donnas Palm and is now favourite for the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.< An Cathaoir Mor came with a dramatic late rattle to take the Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase after a patient ride from David Casey.< Major Finnegan Take The Breeze and Sports Line dominated up front, with An Cathaoir Mor some way behind them, and Henry De Bromhead's charge still had plenty to do turning for home.

Sports Line hit the front, but Casey had An Cathaoir Mor (7-1) motoring and he caught up on the run-in before going away to win by a length and a quarter.

There was a shock result in the Synergy Security Solutions Novice Hurdle when leading Cheltenham Festival fancy Quel Esprit was run out of it close home by Jessica Harrington's Coole River (7-1).

Ruby Walsh took it up a long way out and looked to have everything under control, but Barry Geraghty kept the 30-100 favourite in his sights and forged past to score by half a length.

Leading bumper performer Rite Of Passage made his delayed debut over jumps in the Frank Conroy Memorial Maiden Hurdle and coasted clear to beat Grey Soldier by three lengths.

Robbie McNamara's only anxious moment was when he was carried wide by a loose horse rounding the home turn, but Dermot Weld's 4-9 favourite soon caught his market rival and won impressively.< Dooneys Gate (7-2) looked to have lost his chance when surrendering the lead after the second-last in the Foxrock Handicap Chase, but Ruby Walsh conjured a renewed challenge out of Willie Mullins' charge, who got up to beat Show Blessed by a length and a qua