< Holly Tree barely had a moment's worry when running out an emphatic winner of the Grade Three Hartmann Jewellers Ballybrit Novice Chase at Galway.

Sent straight into the lead by David Casey, the 9-10 favourite jumped fluently until making a mistake at the fourth last, which gave Abbeybraney and Coolpotts the opportunity to draw closer.

However, Dusty Sheehy's charge soon regained his advantage and was pushed out to finish four lengths to the good over Coolpotts.

Young jockey Andrew Thornton deserves plenty of credit after guiding Kahuna to a wide-margin success in the www.galwaynews.ie Handicap Hurdle.

Sent well clear from the off, the 16-1 chance was almost a furlong ahead with two to jump, but his stride shortened dramatically approaching the last.

Despite barely having the momentum to jump the last, Kahuna had built up enough of a lead to cross the line 15 lengths clear of Turtle Time Lucky

Thomond O'Mara's Tatacoa slogged through the mud to finish a comfortable winner of the Corrib Oil Sean Cleary Memorial Auction Race.

Settled off the pace under Wayne Lordan, the 10-1 chance made eyecatching headway to join the leaders on the home turn.< Playdate tried to give chase, but Tatacoa was too strong, and he made light of the testing conditions to win by five lengths.

The veteran Senators Alibi gave O'Mara and Lordan a double on the day when collecting his fifth course success in the CCTV Venue Control Handicap.

In a similar vein to his stablemate, the 8-1 chance made up plenty of ground on the home bend to track favourite Vertigo On Course before stretching away close home to win by three lengths.< Evening Rushour (7-1) made it three wins from five starts this season when stretching away on the home straight under Shane Foley to beat Perfect Reward by five and a half lengths in the Renvyle House Hotel Handicap.

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