The Jessica Harrington-trained Sizing John proved his stamina for two and a half miles with victory in the Ladbrokes Ireland Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles.< Smashing set a strong gallop but was collared by favourite Sub Lieutenant at what became two out, with the last obstacle omitted.
Sizing John (3-1), who has found two-mile king Douvan too good so many times, went in pursuit and knuckled down really well for Robbie Power to beat Sub Lieutenant by two and a half lengths, with Black Hercules third.
Harrington was denied a big-race brace when Keppols Queen crashed out at the last in the Grade Two Champs Elysees Coolmore National Hunt Sires EBF Mares Novice Chase.
To be fair, she was being tackled for the lead by Willie Mullins' Westerner Lady at the time and the 4-6 favourite got to the other side safely under Ruby Walsh to beat stablemate Daisy's Gift by two and a half lengths.
Mullins' Timi Roli was a warm order for the www.thurlesraces.ie Maiden Hurdle (Div 1), only to fade into third behind Surf Instructor (100-30), but the champion trainer had better luck in the second division thanks to the dominant 1-3 favourite Al Boum Photo < The Storyteller was impressive in accounting for Battleford in the W.T. O'Grady Memorial EBF Novice Hurdle.
Gordon Elliott's promising 5-2 chance tracked the market leader when he hit the front between the third-last and second-last, and found a superior change of gear to come nine lengths clear in the hands of Jack Kennedy.
Elliott followed up when 25-1 outsider Realt Mor rolled back the years in the Matty Ryan Memorial Handicap Hurdle, while Jimmy Mangan's Winter Magic (6-1) made all in the Thurles Handicap Chase.
Some grand campaigners locked horns in a classy Arctic Tack Stud Hunters Chase to bring proceedings to a close, and it went the way of 4-6 favourite Foxrock who proved too sprightly for On His Own and First Lieutenant
