Yesterday's Purcell Novice Chase promised to be a thriller and it didn't disappoint, with Moscow Express eventually running out a convincing winner over Johnny Brushaside.
However, while those two promising young chasers passed the post, the favourite, Lady Daisy, was picking herself off the floor after taking a crashing fall at the last. Lady Daisy's reappearance with a chance on the run to the final obstacle was the last twist in a contest that the three principals dominated from some way out.
Lady Daisy had looked beaten after the third last when Moscow Express and Johnny Brushaside kicked on, but mistakes from the first two at the penultimate fence let her back in. Moscow Express, though, would have been an unlucky loser as he was giving weight away and had overcome some minor mistakes earlier.
"He always seems to be able to pull a leg out from somewhere," said the unbeaten chaser's trainer Frances Crowley, who will now aim Moscow Express at the Cesarewitch before going for the £30,000 Kilkenny Champion Chase at the Gowran festival next month.
The ground description was changed to "yielding to soft" before the Harp Handicap, but it made no difference to Lawz, who made most of the running under the season's leading apprentice Shane Kelly to beat Golden Rule and Red Piper.
The divisions of the maiden hurdle were impressively won by the favourites but in contrating manners. Kings Banquet made all under Paul Carberry to win the first, while, half an hour later, Daraheen Chief showed an impressive turn of foot to make progress from the rear and put three and a half lengths between himself and Layik.
Niall McCullagh had his third winner of the week when Dr Johnson's full brother Golden Chimes got the better of Dee-One-O-One in the opening maiden. The runner-up's rider Jamie Spencer got a two-day ban for using his whip with excessive force and frequency.
Possibly the easiest winner of the day was Generosa, who took it up down the back in the qualified riders race and was never out of a canter afterwards. Shaihar got the better of Greenflag Princess in the handicap chase, after which the runner-up's rider Shay Barry got a six-day ban for using his whip with excessive frequency.
A major gamble has taken place on Lord Lamb for the Tote Cesarewitch with Coral, the bookmaking firm has revealed. Mary Reveley's charge has been cut to 10 to 1 from 20 to 1 for the second leg of the autumn double.
