Review leopardstown 5th Nov

Pat Smullen pulled three back in his fight for the champion jockey title with Johnny Murtagh after a double at Leopardstown.

Taking advantage of the fact his rival is in Santa Anita, Smullen reduced the lead to four by partnering Libano Rite Of Passage and Casual to victory.

Dermot Weld's Rite Of Passage (7-1) was the highlight, sent off favourite for the bumper at Cheltenham where he finished third he turned the Leopardstown November Handicap into a one-horse race.

Kris Weld, the trainer's son, said: "He's a high-class horse and jumps really well. We will hopefully come back here at Christmas for a hurdle race.

"I think we'll have a lot to look forward to when he starts his hurdling campaign. He stays very well and has a touch of class."

Libano (14-1), a Group Three winner in Italy, was having only his third start for the stable but made every yard of the running.

Murtagh certainly missed out on one winner as Mikhail Glinka landed a touch in the Race Against Breast Cancer Eyrefield Stakes to provide Aidan O'Brien with his eighth win in the race in the last 11 years.

Murtagh's replacement, Seamie Heffernan, said: "He's still very raw and hopefully he'll grow out of it. I wouldn't say he's ungenuine.

"We went a good gallop as I sat in rear for most and he won well in the end."

John Oxx and Mick Kinane won the first two races, with Nebula Storm scoring in the colours carried to victory by Sea The Stars all summer.

At Thurles, Whatuthink put some much-vaunted rivals to the sword in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase for Oliver McKiernan.

Classy hurdlers Venalmar Zaarito Essex and Bob Lingo were all against him but a previous outing over fences proved the difference. Zaarito fell at the second-last when looking a big danger.

"He's entered in the Drinmore Chase and if things work out, will run at Leopardstown over Christmas too. He jumped very carefully the last day but was much sharper today," said McKiernan of Barry Geraghty's mount.