The Henry De Bromhead-trained The Big Westerner ran out a ready winner of the Michael Hickey Memorial Chase.
The 2m7f Listed event was rescheduled from last week and while only four went to post, The Big Westerner made an impressive return to action having been off since last December.
The 2025 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle runner-up had made a good impression on her first two starts over fences early last season and was able to pick up where she left off under Darragh O'Keeffe, who grabbed the race by the scruff of the neck early and jumped her rivals into submission.
Bossofthebrownies was the only one to really give chase as The Big Westerner went through the gears but Mouse Morris' horse was effectively beaten off after the second-last fence as the 1/3 favourite strode clear to win by a widening 15 lengths.
Paddy Power, Sky Bet and Betfair trimmed the winner to 10/1 from 12/1 for the Mrs Paddy Power Chase at Cheltenham in March.
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De Bromhead told Racing TV: "Delighted. She hadn't run for a while obviously and we thought we might struggle with the ground, the way it was drying, but Darragh was happy and we were happy to get her out.
"It was safe, yielding ground and we were happy.
"A lovely start for her, she jumped brilliantly and Darragh said all he was trying to do was restrain her, she was winging fences. She was really good so I'm delighted.
"She has pace as well and she's just a very classy mare."
Regarding future plans, he added: "We'll probably run her a bit more through the winter on the softer ground and we'll see. It's lovely to have her back out again.
"That [Betfair Chase] would be very quick for me, but we'll see. She has the entry and ground is going to be important."
The Big Westerner was bringing up a Wexford double for the same owners, trainer and jockey after Palinca made a fine start to life under Rules.
Owned by Coolmara Stables Limited, the point-to-point-winning four-year-old filly was all the rage in the market and, like her older stablemate, made no mistake as 1/3 favourite in the Racing TV Free Trial For A Month Maiden Hurdle.
The daughter of Goliath Du Berlais was in front from flagfall and, after upping the tempo before the turn into the straight, Palinca flew over the last two hurdles before drawing 11 lengths clear of Zara's Dream (100/30).
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Discover Sporting Life Plus Benefits"In fairness, she'd been showing us them kind of signs at home," the winning rider said of Palinca on Racing TV. "She'd been working very easily and I was excited about her coming here.
"You'd love everything about her, especially the way we quickened up down over the last two hurdles she was mustard. I'd say she's very decent.
"I'd have been happy to take a lead but she did plenty of schooling with her and last week she jumped brilliant. I thought we'd keep it nice and straightforward.
"She was entitled to do what she did there but the manner in which she did it was impressive."
Paddy Power, Sky Bet and Betfair cut Palinca to 12/1 from 20s for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
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