< Road To Respect led home a one-two-three for Gigginstown House Stud in the Leopardstown Christmas Chase as the leading owners dominated day three of the Christmas Festival.
The Noel Meade-trained 8-1 shot jumped the last disputing the lead with Balko Des Flos and Outlander and stuck his neck out gamely to beat Balko Des Flos by a length and a quarter.< Sizing John was the odds-on favourite but was being pushed along from some way out and didn't figure, while Yorkhill showed up prominently for a long way but faded tamely.< Apple's Jade proved her stamina for three miles with a last-gasp victory in the Squared Financial Christmas Hurdle.< Supasundae appeared to have seen off the Gordon Elliott-trained 4-6 favourite but she called upon all her battling qualities to get up by half a length.
Stayers' Hurdle hero Nichols Canyon crashed out with over a circuit to travel and sadly paid the ultimate price.< Hardback (16-1) denied Low Sun in a thrilling tussle for the Irish Daily Star Christmas Novice Handicap Hurdle, and his trainer Joseph O'Brien also took the Ballymaloe Foods Flat Race with Alighted (16-1) - a fourth winner on the card for Gigginstown.
Apple's Jade's stable companion Flawless Escape came out best in a bunched finish to the attheraces.com Maiden Hurdle.
Following a steady early pace and with the omission of the final flight leaving a long run-in, five horses were still in contention in a dash to the line and the 11-4 chance found most under Roger Loughran to beat Jetez by a length.
Meade and Sean Flanagan followed up Road To Respect's triumph when Snow Falcon (11-8) took the Midland Legal Solicitors Beginners Chase.
Amateur jockey Richard Deegan set sail for home on the turn in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (Qualifier) and that paid dividends as 33-1 shot Mine Now fended off A Great View by a short head.
