< Mourad put Mikael D'Haguenet firmly in his place when he overturned his Willie Mullins-trained stablemate with a commanding performance in the Ladbrokes Boyne Hurdle at Navan.
Mikael D'Haguenet was sent off the 4-11 favourite as he sought a four-timer in his climb back to the top of the tree, and he travelled easily into contention coming down the straight,
Mourad (3-1) was in front at that point and when Paul Townend asked him to stretch away, he pulled clear with disappointingly little resistance from the market leader, who was six and a half lengths in arrears at the line.< Donnas Palm (8-1) has been a prolific winner for the Noel Meade yard and scored at Grade Two level for the first time over fences in a thrilling finish to the Flyingbolt Novice Chase.< Foildubh led jumping the final fence, but Davy Condon asked for a big effort from his mount and the grey nailed the prize in the shadow of the post by a head to make it five wins from five runs at the track.
The other Grade Two over the bigger obstacles, the Irish Form Book Ten Up Novice Chase, was even more exciting and it went to Andrew Thornton, landing his biggest career success on the Thomas Gibney-trained outsider Lion Na Bearnai
Five horses held every chance jumping the final fence and it was the 50-1 chance who proved strongest, rallying to beat Four Commanders by three-quarters of a length after being attacked on either side by representatives of the Gigginstown battalions.
Jessie Harrington's Maller Tree (9-10 favourite) had a rare old tussle with Beef To The Heels before edging away on the run-in under Robbie Power to win the Irish Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle by a length and a quarter.
Gillian Callaghan's OConnells Pike (14-1) eased into contention nearing the second-last and forged clear to take the Follow Navan On Facebook Maiden Hurdle by four lengths under Keith Donoghue.
