Review leopardstown 29th Dec Nichols Canyon denied Identity Thief in a thrilling finish to the Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown.With Hurricane Fly winning four of the previous five renewals, Willie Mullins maintained his stranglehold on the Grade One but it didn't look like being that way when Henry de Bromhead's charge cruised into the lead approaching the last.Although Bryan Cooper's mount jumped it well, the winner battled back under a determined ride from Ruby Walsh and the 2-5 favourite got on top late on to win by two lengths.Cooper had better luck when No More Heroes maintained his unbeaten record over fences with a smart performance in the Neville Hotels Novice Chase.Gordon Elliott's six-year-old was sent off the 4-9 favourite against just three rivals, with two of them in the same Gigginstown House Stud silks, and put in an excellent round of jumping to claim his second consecutive Grade One win by nine lengths.Sent into the lead with a mile to run, he only had Rule The World to worry about approaching the last and another fine leap sealed the deal.Elliott completed a double when Barry Geraghty partnered Squouateur (11-4) to a three-length success over Archive in the Ryanair E.B.F. Novice Handicap Hurdle.Keppols Queen led home a one-two for Jessica Harrington when springing a 14-1 surprise in the Willis E.B.F. Mares Hurdle.The previously unbeaten Morning Run blazed a trail in the Grade Three contest, but ran out of gas turning for home on her first start for 332 days and Mark Bolger's mount took full advantage to score by 11 lengths from stablemate Rock On The Moor.Clar Na Mionn ended his drought when landing the opening Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Chase, pulling five and a half lengths clear of Bearly Legal at odds of 14-1.Acapella Bourgeois (6-1) reversed last month's Fairyhouse form with Space Cadet in the Copper Face Jacks Maiden Hurdle when getting first run on the 4-5 favourite to prevail by six and a half lengths.Mullins completed his double when Lucky Pass justified 4-7 favouritism by three and thr
