Elusive Ivy and Brien Kane © Photo Healy Racing
Gordon Elliott's Whistling Dixie disappointed her followers when finding Elusive Ivy too strong in the www.galwayraces.com Mares Maiden Hurdle at Galway.
A smart operator in bumpers last year, Whistling Dixie was sent off the 2-7 favourite but was hard at work and only narrowly ahead on the home turn.
Brien Kane found a gap after the last on Gavin Cromwell's 8-1 chance Elusive Ivy, and she shot through to score by a length and a quarter.
Elliott gained quick compensation when 8-13 favourite Captain Von Trappe made virtually all to run out a bloodless winner of the W.B. Gavin & Co. EBF Beginners Chase.
Bryan Cooper was happy to kick on with over a circuit to go, and he kept on well to score by 13 lengths from The Winkler < Baily Cloud (7-2) got the better of another of Elliott's charges in Altiepix as he edged the verdict by a nose in the Barna Recycling Rated Novice Hurdle.
The result could have been so much different had favourite Childrens List who swept past the pair after the second last, had not thrown Ruby Walsh off after a blunder at the last, but Mark Enright drove Baily Cloud to win after a head-to-head battle to the line.
Walsh soon recovered, giving The Job Is Right a peach of a ride to land the John Mulholland Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle.
There were plenty in with chances at the second last and Walsh was not the obvious choice, but the 16-1 chance kept finding more for his rider's urgings to get up late and beat Master Appeal
That was part of a double for Hourigan, whose Hash Brown (5-2 favourite) battled bravely for Barry Geraghty in the Ennis Lifts Handicap Chase, reeling in Ravished late on and scoring by a head.
Things were much easier for Niall Madden on Tomcoole Lad (10-1), who ran on strongly after the last to land the Corrib Food Products Handicap Chase for trainer Liam Byrne.
