Following his fine third under top-weight in the Cork National last Sunday, Foxchapel King deserved his success in the Pierse Group Troytown Chase at Navan yesterday.
With only 10 st. 5 lb. on his back, trainer Mouse Morris had little choice but to let him take his chance, and it proved a worthwhile venture as the six-year-old proved too strong for Buck Rogers in the closing stages, winning by a length under Shay Barry at generous odds of 11 to 2.
The first two home had pulled a long way clear of Rince Ri, the well-supported favourite losing any chance of success on his seasonal debut when blundering badly at the 10th fence.
Foxchapel King was giving his Tipperary trainer his first win in the race and Morris said: "He had a nice racing weight here and did it well. He will be kept to the bigger handicaps and perhaps we will look to the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown now."
Also returning to winning form was his stable companion Boss Doyle, absent since running in the Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown in April, who had little difficulty in winning the Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle under top-weight.
Charlie Swan had little to do as the 12 to 1 chance ran all over Spirit Dancer and only had to be pushed out in the closing stages to win by a length-and-a-half. "He will be kept to hurdles until after Christmas and only then will he go back over fences," said Morris.
Native Upmanship made an impressive start to his career over fences when taking the European Breeders Fund Beginners' Chase. Although he was lucky to survive a bad mistake as early as the third fence, he did not give his supporters another anxious moment as he swept to a five-length success over River Pilot.
"With Feathered Leader heading for the Drinmore Chase at Fairyhouse later this month I think we will keep this fellow for the Dennys Chase at Christmas," said Arthur Moore.
The rest of the day belonged to local trainers Michael Cunningham and Noel Meade, with Cunningham landing the Newgrange Hotel 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle with Cotopaxi and Meade sharing a short-priced double with jockey Paul Carberry via Oa Baldixe and Young Buck.
Oa Baldixe followed up a recent Fairyhouse win in good style in the Property Independent Monksfield Novice Hurdle, racing clear before the second last flight to win by 11 lengths.
"He is entered in the Royal Bond Hurdle at Fairyhouse but he is far from certain to run there. He gets the two-and-a-half mile trip well and we will probably keep to that," said Meade.
Although beaten twice already this year by Istabraq, connections of Limestone Lad are looking forward to taking on the champion hurdler again later this month after the seven-year-old landed the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on Saturday.
The pair are set to clash in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse in two weeks time after Limestone Lad made all the running to beat Golden Rule by four-and-a-half lengths.
The winner was ridden to his biggest success to date by 22-year-old Shane McGovern, for whom it was his 21st career win and his fourth on Limestone Lad.
Go Roger Go was an equally impressive in the Craddockstown Novice Chase, recording his fourth win over fences this season when holding off Snow Dragon.
Commanche Court, racing over fences for the first time, heads for the Denny Gold Medal Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas after his creditable third behind the Edward O'Grady-trained winner.
Niall Mulholland, who rode Experimental to win at Cheltenham on Friday, followed up in the Punchestown Equestrian Centre Novice Hurdle on the Eamon Sheehy-trained Jack And Tom.
Although his High Stakes was on the mark in the juvenile hurdle at Cheltenham, Christy Roche was on hand to welcome his Francines-Boy into the winner's enclosure after his narrow success in the Cullens Gorse Hurdle. The Paul Moloney-ridden 7 to 2 chance made all to running to beat the mistake prone Sungazer by just a neck.
