Shane Shortall © Photo Healy Racing
Tony Martin's versatile performer Pires won for the first time in almost exactly a year as he put up a classy performance in the feature Kerry Foods Rated Hurdle at Down Royal.
Second to Fosters Cross in a chase at Galway when last seen, the 10-year-old was given a confident ride by Shane Shortall - who later suffered a suspected broken collarbone in a fall - and had just about all the field in front of him after jumping the third-last.
Brought with a smooth run on the outside, Pires (7-4 favourite) had just Theatre Mill to catch after they took the final flight and he quickened up nicely on the run-in to win by two and a quarter lengths.< Verawal cost only 5,500 euros out of the Mick Halford yard after three modest runs in the colours of the Aga Khan and he quickly repaid the investment on his jumps debut for Willie Mullins in the Molson Coors 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle.
Sent off the 5-4 joint-favourite in the hands of Paul Townend, he was never far away from his market rival Cabarete and took over approaching the second-last, from where the race was quickly over as he breezed 12 lengths clear.
Townend doubled up when Noel Meade's 7-4 favourite Bose Ikard whose hurdles rating is well below his chase figure, easily defied a 4lb penalty for winning at Bellewstown 24 hours earlier as he took the Walkers Snacks Handicap Hurdle by six and a half lengths.
Shark Hanlon 's 8-13 favourite Clondaw Farmer was given a proper workout by market rival Ram Them All before holding his opponent by three lengths to take the Tayto Group Maiden Hurdle in the hands of Andrew McNamara.
Pat Flynn's dual bumper winner Storm Away (5-4 favourite) followed up her recent debut second over obstacles by taking the Irwins Bakeries Mares Maiden Hurdle, going much the best from two out to score by four and a quarter lengths under Davy Russell.
In an exciting finish to the SHS Sales & Marketing Handicap Hurdle, the Gavin Cromwell-trained Cristy's Call (20-1) pulled out all the stops to hold on by three-quarters of a length under Danny Benson.
