Dermot Weld will have plenty of food for thought after Rite Of Passage sauntered to victory in the Book Your Festival Tickets Hurdle.
Weld opted for the two and a half mile contest to see which of the novice events Rite Of Passage would contest at Cheltenham.
A motionless Robbie McNamara never had a moment's doubt, as the 2-7 chance jumped boldly throughout and was never asked a question to beat Healys Bar by a length.
Sabrina Harty's Won In The Dark registered his first success since the 2008 Punchestown Festival when surging clear in the Five Day Festival Hurdle.
The even-money favourite swept into the lead on the turn for home and after a spring-heeled leap at the last, went on to record a -length victory over Jettymarc
A pulsating finish to the Book The Pavilion At The Festival Hurdle saw four horses in with strong claims for glory.< Smoking Aces looked the least likely of the quartet to score, as he had led earlier and looked to be falling off the pace in the scramble to the line.
However, Paddy Flood helped Tom Taaffe's 5-1 chance find more in the dying strides and he got back up to beat Boulavogue on the nod, with Deutschland a neck back in third.
The motivatechallenge.com Mares Maiden Hurdle produced another tight finish as 33-1 chance Spare Shilling just held off the renewed challenge of Golden Sunbird to score under Bryan Cooper.
Willie Mullins' Flat Out completed a hat-trick on his hurdling debut when the 11-10 favourite supplemented two bumper wins with a seven-length success over Better Times in the Festival Hospitality Maiden Hurdle.< Cayo Levantado (2-1 favourite) landed a gamble when Gordon Elliott's charge streaked clear on the run-in to land the Festival Shopping Village Handicap Hurdle under Joey Elliott.
