Jonjo O'Neill might have spent the morning fielding questions about his new stable jockey Tony McCoy but it was 20-year-old amateur JP Magnier who dominated the afternoon.

Rhinestone Cowboy's thrilling defeat of his stable companion Iris's Gift in the Ballymore Properties Champion Stayers Hurdle delivered O'Neill a second Grade One pot in slightly just over an hour after Cherub's earlier success in the four-year-old hurdle.

But for a man who had just witnessed the odds-on defeat of his big hope for the future, the Gloucestershire-based trainer was noticeably delighted.

"JP was brilliant on him, did the job really well," said O'Neill. "He has done nothing wrong on this horse but he has got lots of stick, and for what I don't know."

Considering he is the son of the Coolmore supremo John Magnier, the young jockey is always going to attract some resentment at the opportunities his family connections guarantee.

So much so that his status as an amateur with only 20 winners to his name is sometimes forgotten. But whatever polish Magnier Jnr might lack in a finish, he wants for nothing in terms of big-race temperament.

Rosaker and Iris's Gift had been up there throughout and were committed from some way out.

But even while they were doing that it was impossible not to have one's eye drawn towards Rhinestone Cowboy and a noticeably patient Magnier.

By the straight it was impossible to look at anything else and despite a poor jump at the last Rhinestone Cowboy sailed home seven lengths clear.

"It's a great feeling to ride such a good horse," said Magnier who has clearly learned that modesty is the best policy.

"Maybe it was just good guesswork and I got it right for once."

O'Neill nominated a chasing career next season for Iris's Gift, with Rhinestone Cowboy bidding to take over the Stayers crown. A more immediate option though is today's Emo Oil Champion Hurdle.

"We will see how he is but it is unlikely he will run. He's had a hard race but if he is flying in the morning we will see," said O'Neill.

Earlier Cherub short-headed the Triumph winner Made In Japan in the McEvoy Champion Hurdle but the four year-old will still be able to race as a novice in Britain next season.

He will be a potential mount for McCoy, who has dramatically ended his partnership with Martin Pipe in favour of a retainer to O'Neill.

"It's great to have first call on a man like Tony. He's mad for work and this is a new challenge for him. It will be all systems go for us," O'Neill declared.

Only five might have lined up for the Swordlestown Cup but it lacked nothing in drama, with the leader Colca Canyon falling at the second last and bringing down the odds-on favourite Kicking King.

That left the former Galway Hurdle winner Say Again in the lead but he did his best to throw it away with a poor jump at the last, which left trainer Paul Nolan admitting: "My heart wasn't inside my body!"

He added: "My horse travelled great throughout but whether he would have won anyway I'm not sure. I think maybe we might try and hold on to his mark and think about the two-mile handicaps at Cheltenham next year."

Enda Bolger confirmed his status as the King of the Banks course when the Aintree National fifth Spot Thedifference gave him a seventh consecutive success in the La Touche Cup.

"We gave him a prep' run in the English National for the La Touche!" grinned Bolger whose 5 to 2 favourite Buailtes And Fadas faded to fifth. "Spot Thedifference has a problem getting detached in his races so I was delighted to see him holding his position," he added. "Even with the bank dykes filled in for the first time that was still some spectacle."

Wotsitooya repeated his 2002 triumph in the Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase despite a series of jumps to the left down the straight.

The Willie Mullins-trained Kelly's Craft fought back despite a bad cut to his leg to dead heat with Boleyknowsbest in the opener and Mullins completed a good day's work with Detonate in the bumper and Ballyamber in the novice chase.