Royal & SunAlliance Chase contender Cooldine got off the mark at the first time of asking over fences in the www.thurlesraces.ie Beginners Chase.

The 6-4 favourite had reeled off five timber wins on the bounce last season and finished a commendable fourth to Blazing Bailey in a Punchestown Grade One.

Allowed to stride on at halfway by Paul Townend in this two-and-a-quarter-mile contest, he jumped fluently in the main and stayed on stoutly to beat Moskova by a comfortable 19 lengths.

The Hardy Eustace colours were back in the winner?s enclosure after Jimmy Ber took the Clonoulty Hurdle.

The Dessie Hughes-trained 8-1 shot looked like he was going to score cosily when quickening clear nearing the end of the back straight, but he tired on the rain-affected ground and had to battle hard to repel the late thrust of Dancing Tornado and David Casey by three-quarters of a length.

Casey went one better when Checkpointcharlie finished fastest of all in the INH Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle.

The 8-1 chance had failed to get in front in four bumper starts and looked booked for minor honours again, but Casey conjured a late rattle out of him and he got up to deny Toby Jug by a length and three-quarters.< Alpine Eagle justified 11-10 favouritism when outclassing his rivals in the Cahir Maiden Hurdle.

Barry Geraghty?s mount caught tearaway leader Giant Slalom on the run to the penultimate flight and he hardly broke sweat in handing out a 14-length beating to The Rebel Returns < Cnoc An Einn s only success came way back in September 2005 but his recent return at Clonmel obviously blew away any cobwebs and he passed Afterburn on the run from the last to take the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.< Kilbane River beat Giolla De by a head to claim the spoils in the Templemore Handicap Chase at odds of 12-1, while the Liscahill INH Flat Race went the way of Steve Capall (7-1).

© www.irish-racing.com