Christmas Crackle took advantage of a hefty drop in class to win the Coolera Maiden Hurdle at Sligo last evening.
Boasting good Winter form behind top novice hurdlers Davenport Milenium and Like-A-Butterfly, Jim Dreaper's eight-year-old had little difficulty in winning under Barry Geraghty.
'I rode him to win a bumper on this card last year and this is the first time he has got the bottomless ground he wants since', said Dreaper's son Thomas.
Tony Martin's Finians Ivy was another successful on the corresponding card last year and running over hurdles for the first time since then, he readily scored in the Union Food And Drink Distributors Handicap Hurdle.
Ruby Walsh sent the gambled-on 3 to1 favourite to the front at the final flight and eased clear for a four length success.
Fagin, trained by Annette McMahon, took the Carraroe Handicap Hurdle in similar fashion, drawing right away in the straight to win by 15 lengths for jockey Phillip O'Brien.
On the flat, the Con Collins-trained Mainly Mine readily reversed Cork form with Lady Barbara to win the Harrys Bar Maiden.
Although headed in the straight, the 8/1 chance responded well to Pat Shanahan's drive to win by a head.
Pat Smullen, on the mark at Clonmel on Sunday, enjoyed further success when winning The Tote - The Easy Way To Bet Handicap on the Donie Hassett-trained Planet Clare.
Colm O'Donoghue recorded his first success of the season when bringing Astronomer home 20 lengths clear in the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Handicap.
The testing conditions took their tool on the runners in this event with only nine of the 15 runners getting home. Rachel Costello was non the worse for the fall she took when Morning Georgie fell early in the straight.
