Hard Bought (blue) touches off Famous Ballerina© Photo Healy Racing
Trainer John Joe Walsh and amateur rider Ambrose McCurtin enjoyed a red-letter day at Clonmel as they teamed up for a double.
The County Cork handler sent bumper winner Love On Top (7-1) for the Cahir Mares Maiden Hurdle and she seemed to relish the step up to two and a half miles as she led at the second-last and stayed on strongly to score by a length and three-quarters in the hands of her owner.
McCurtin then got down to some serious work to keep Hard Bought (9-1) going up the run-in to hold the renewed challenge of Famous Ballerina who had lost momentum with a poor jump at the last, to take the Powerstown Demesne (QR) Handicap Hurdle by a short head.
The Dessie Hughes-trained White Star Line who put up a career-best performance to open his fencing account in the Kerry National at Listowel on his last start, followed up with a comfortable victory in the Wilderness Chase.
The 4-5 favourite was going best as they turned into the straight and Bryan Cooper sent him on going to the second-last, where apparent threat Make A Track blundered, and White Star Line had only to be kept up to his work to win by two lengths.
Eamonn Gallagher's 4-1 shot Backinthere had a productive time last season and set off on the right foot this campaign when prominent all the way before landing the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase by a length and three-quarters under Adrian Heskin.
Paddy Mangan sent Truckin All Night (4-1 joint-favourite) into the lead going to the second-last in the www.grahamnorris.com Memorial Handicap Hurdle and his father Jimmy's seven-year-old eventually saw off the veteran Catch Me to win by a length and three-quarters.< Wilde Sapphire looked to have everything in trouble on the long run to the second-last in the Cashel Maiden Hurdle, but Gallant Tipp wouldn't go away and Edward O'Grady's 11-10 favourite responded to Mark Walsh's urgings to overhaul the leader and score by three lengths.
