The concluding race of day two of the festival, the Grade 1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper went the way of the Willie Mullins-trained Ferny Hollow providing the champion trainer with his tenth win in the race.
Settling in rear in the hands of Paul Townend, the son of Westerner showed a great turn off foot make his way through the field, before hitting the front in the closing stages and keeping his stable mate Appreciate It at bay by two and a half lengths.
The success also provided Mullins with his first success at the 2020 festival, as well as bringing the tally of point-to-point graduate winners to six for the opening two days.
The success also provided Mullins with his first success at the 2020 festival, as well as bringing the tally of point-to-point graduate winners to six for the opening two days.
Queens Brook was a further three and a quarter lengths back in third spot, meaning that this result secured a one-two-three for point-to-point graduates.
Ferny Hollow won a four-year-old maiden at Knockanard in 2019 for Colin Bowe and James O'Rourke before changing hands for £300,000 to Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins.
Ireland's champion trainer was delighted to get on the scoresheet at this year's meeting and said: "It's a goal on the stroke of half-time! It's nice to get on the board, anyhow. They are three nice horses - Five Bar Brian (11th) ran very well too.
"I thought Patrick had it won just after turning for home but could see Paul coming and he won quite easily in the end.
"He ran too freely on his first two runs and putting a hood on him has changed him, together with more drastic tactics - just holding him up and holding him up. He is lovely at home but gets a little bit upset in a race, so I think jumping will suit him a lot better.
"We will probably go for the Champion Bumper at Punchestown and maybe the same for Appreciate It.
"I think everyone was a little bit down as things weren't going right but there you are. At least those three horses ran well and hopefully it is the turnaround."
Patrick Mullins, rider of Appreciate It and son of the winning trainer, was thrilled with his horse, Pat Doyle's Dromahane point winner, and said: "He is a beautiful horse to ride, settles lovely and is a strong traveller. Everything went right and we just got beaten by the better horse on the day.
"There is lots to look forward to for next year and beyond, with both horses."
Gordon Elliott continued his fine day, saddling Aidan Fitzgerald's ex-Dromahane winner Queens Brook (6/1), who was beaten a further three and a quarter lengths under pointing champion Jamie Codd. Her performance all the more notable given that she had only won her maiden point earlier this season.
Elliott said: "She has ran very well, we're delighted - she's a good mare."
Codd added: "We thought she was good, and she is good. She has come up against two fair horses there and she is going to be a lovely, staying mare for next year."
