< Thousand Stars proved a more than able deputy for Champion Hurdle-winning stablemate Hurricane Fly as he led all the way to land the ladbrokes.com Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown.
Willie Mullins' dashing grey (5-4 favourite) jumped fluently for Ruby Walsh at the head of affairs on his first start since winning the French Champion Hurdle in June.< Oscars Well briefly threatened to take a hand at the top of the straight, but Thousand Stars quickened clear and a fine leap at the last helped him secure victory by five and a half lengths.
Mullins is in cracking form and recorded a four-timer initiated by So Young who scored a bloodless success in the three-runner Paul Carberry Autobiography Best Seller Hurdle.
Carberry himself led for most of the way on Fully Funded but when Walsh unleashed the 2-5 favourite he eased ahead running to the last and sauntered 11 lengths clear.
Walsh's own treble came up when the patiently ridden Dare To Doubt (5-1 joint-favourite) was produced full of running to take the ladbrokes.com Mobile App Handicap Hurdle by three lengths.
Mullins rounded off his successful afternoon when son Patrick urged the highly promising Make Your Mark (13-8 favourite) 11 lengths clear in the Dick Grainger Memorial INH Flat Race.
Gigginstown runners occupied the first two places in the Ladbrokes Casino Florida Pearl Novice Chase, but there was no doubting which was the better on the day.
Philip Fenton's impressive Last Instalment (8-11 favourite) tracked Four Commanders for much of the way and when Davy Russell allowed him to go on, he pulled six and a half lengths clear.
Russell doubled up when Tony Martin's Dedigout (5-4 favourite) got the better of a tussle with Not For Converting to take the INH Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle by three and three-quarter lengths.
Henry de Bromhead's always prominent Days Hotel (5-2) put in an impeccable round of jumping to land the ladbrokes.com Bet In Running Craddockstown Novice Chase under Andrew Lynch, beating favourite Lucky William by six and a half lengt
