The latter jumped the last in front but not cleanly and while he was half a length up, it opened the door just a little for Sir Bob. 

Under a strong ride by Torrens, the 9-1 chance, who was also quite well backed, dug in deep and, in a pulsating finish, the J. P. McManus-owned gelding put his head in front for the narrowest of successes.

“It’s great to win,” said Tyner. “He’s inclined to be lazy in his races, but his jumping just kept him in it. Once he was there turning in, I thought we had a great chance because staying is his job.

“His first run back over hurdles, we were happy with him, but he was a bit disappointing on his second run. I suppose it was just the more distance today. He’s an 11-year-old now so it’s great to get it.” 

Darragh O’Keeffe, fresh from his Charlie Hall Chase victory aboard Gentlemansgame on Saturday at Wetherby, recorded a double at his local track.

He got off the mark for the day aboard the Tom Gibney-trained Flamborough, in the Paddy Power From The Horse’s Mouth Podcast Maiden Hurdle. 

The winner came here on the back of a third-place finish in the November Handicap at Naas and prior to that had finished a close fourth in the Lartigue Hurdle at Listowel. The well-backed favourite took it up going to the third-last and galloped on resolutely to beat the promising Jigoro.

In completing the near 9-1 double for O’Keeffe, the promising Solitary Man put a third win on his card by taking the listed Paddy Power Irish EBF Novice Hurdle in grand style. Never far off the pace being set by What Path, he closed up in the straight, led over the second-last, and cemented his position with a superb leap at the final flight.

“Darragh said he’s manning up all the time,” said winning trainer Enda Bolger. “His jumping is excellent. After the last day here, I was saying that he had been busy enough and would we leave him alone, but I just saw the entries and said we’d have a shot at it. It was a good call, and good prize money to get.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do with him. He definitely likes nice ground, and I’d prefer to put him away now. He’s only five, so we mightn’t see him now until the spring. It’s over fences is going to be his real thing, so maybe we could look at a beginners’ chase at Killarney.” 

Dee Capo, trained by Gordon Elliott and ridden by Jack Kennedy, provided a winning start for favourite backers with a runaway success in the first division of the Paddy Power From The Horse’s Mouth Podcast Maiden Hurdle. 

A €230,000 purchase in 2022, he recently won a Galway bumper but looked much better this time. 

There were moments when he had to be persuaded to concentrate on the approach to obstacles but when asked to commit, as he was at the last, he was brilliant, and duly cantered clear to win as he pleased.

Conyers Hill, who won his maiden in late September at Clonmel, followed up on his handicap debut in the Paddy Power How Many Days ‘til Christmas Handicap Hurdle. 

Ridden by Sean O’Keeffe for trainer Paul Nolan, the five-year-old Walk In The Park gelding travelled smoothly to mount a challenge from three out but had to be hard ridden to deny the game Showman, who was also making his handicap debut following victory in a maiden.

In the Paddy Power Dear Lord I’ve Left The Immersion On Mares’ Maiden Hurdle, Abi’s Champ and the gambled-on Banprionsa were sent off the even-money joint favourites in the 18-runner field, and it was the former who came out on top.

Trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend, she took over before the turn for home and thereafter was in complete control. Third to stablemate Aurora Vega in a listed bumper, this was a really smart performance on her hurdling debut but, unfortunately, she sustained an injury and was dismounted quickly post-race.

There was a swagger to the performance of Letsbeclearaboutit in the Grade Three Paddy Power Irish EBF Novice Chase. Winner of his only previous outing over fences, he was a little keener this time, but his jumping was no less impressive.

Continuing the great run of Gavin Cromwell, he eased forward to challenge on the turn for home and allowed some of the others to close in on him. The moment Sean Flanagan asked him for more, he quickened right away to win in a canter. The Garde One Drinmore could be next on the agenda for the eight-year-old.

“He was very good, he looks like an out-and-out chaser, and you’d have to be excited by him,” said Cromwell. “It was very straight-forward for Sean.

“We’ll probably give him a Drinmore entry. It’s four weeks away, and that’s what’s on my mind at the moment. I don’t think he needs to go three miles, as he has plenty of gears and he loves jumping.” 

Of the stable’s run of form, which extended to the recent meeting in Cheltenham, where he had three winners and two seconds, he added: “It’s been a great few weeks. We’ll probably run out of ammunition at some point, but we’ll enjoy it while it lasts.” 

Following hot on the heels of the Cork National, there was an equally tight finish to the Buy Tickets At www.corkracecourse.ie Hurdle, in which Rachael Blackmore got the Henry de Bromhead-trained Como Park up on the line to deny Tomjackwilliam in a thriller – a fitting finish to the meeting.