Racing: Jered had Noel Meade dreaming of even better things to come after stamping his class on the vcbet.com Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.
Harchibald, Iktitaf and Jazz Messenger have all done well flying the flag for Meade's Co Meath yard in top-flight hurdle events in recent years.
And Jered is now as low as 12-1 for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle after this dominant display under Tony McCoy.
Owned by JP McManus, the six-year-old completed a hat-trick in fine style and glided round the outside of the field as the 7-4 favourite before going on to slam Salford City by eight lengths, with Cheltenham winner Fiveforthree staying on for third.
Meade said: "He jumped super and we have always thought he is a good horse. He has a lovely turn of foot on good ground. Missing Cheltenham was a blessing in disguise really. JP had Binocular and Captain Cee Bee running there and Frank (Berry, racing manager) was nudging me towards running in the County Hurdle.
"I wasn't keen on that and preferred to go to Fairyhouse and then to here. That was the way it panned out and it has worked out well, especially as the ground wouldn't have suited him at Cheltenham.
"He has been a top novice this year and I hope he could become a Champion Hurdle horse next year. He'll start off in second-season novice races and then I'd he hoping to step up to the top level."
Willie Mullins added of Fiveforthree: "I was delighted with his jumping and as long as he comes out of it well he will run again on Friday in the two-and-a-half-miler."
Air Force One gave Charlie Mann his second ever winner at the meeting with a bold front-running display in the Ellier Developments Champion Novice Chase.
Mann, who struck with Celibate at this fixture in 1999, had been left "gutted" by the six-year-old's performance when fifth at Cheltenham last month, a run blamed on the tacky ground. But with a confidence-boosting victory at Market Rasen under his belt, the 2-1 chance put in an exhibition round to deny favourite Pomme Tiepy by 12 lengths.
Mann said: "I trained him all year for the Royal & SunAlliance so was gutted with his run. The form was there, but he just couldn't jump out of the ground.
"I did the right thing by missing Aintree and we took him to a Mickey Mouse race at Market Rasen. He came out of that jumping out of his skin after winning by 133 lengths.
"It would be nice to think he can take on Kauto Star and those sort of horses next year, but that will be another step up."
Michael Ryan has enjoyed immeasurable success as an owner and added the DNG Nationwide Chase over the 'banks' course to his haul as Wedger Pardy got the 2008 Festival off to a flying start.
Ryan has just a small band of 12 horses in training, including dual Classic winner Finsceal Beo and multiple Grade One-winning hurdler Al Eile, and his 9-2 favourite streaked to a 14-length success.
Trainer Ted Walsh said: "He is probably about 17 levels below Michael's other horses but he's OK and has a lucky owner. He could run again later in the week."
Bambootcha (16-1) is now bound for the Galway Festival after landing the Gain Horse Feeds Handicap Hurdle, while Mullins' Quiscover Fontaine obliged at odds of 16-1 in the Goffs Land Rover Bumper.