Leopardstown round-up: Former jockey Adrian Maguire landed the biggest success of his training career by far when Celestial Wave led her rivals a merry dance in the three-mile woodiesdiy.com Christmas Hurdle.
Maguire has always had the utmost faith in the six-year-old, and his belief bore fruit as the mare made all under his great friend Timmy Murphy to score by 10 lengths from Sweet Kiln to provide the trainer with his first Grade Two success.
However, Gold Cup-winning rider Maguire, who took out a licence after suffering a career-ending injury and has 35 horses in his care, is unlikely to send the 11-4 victor to Cheltenham for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, for which the sponsors quote her at 12-1.
Maguire said: "I have dreamt of this, but it is no surprise. I am delighted with the way things have worked out and she has shown how good she is. We knew how good the rest of the field were but she is on the up, and the ground, trip and Timmy suited her."
Cailin Alainn extended her unbeaten run to six when taking her fourth race over fences in the Grade One Powers Whiskey Novice Chase.
The Charles Byrnes-trained seven-year-old had scored at the top level on her previous outing in the Drinmore, and landed the three-mile contest in the style of the top-class mare.
Davy Russell allowed the favourite to take charge approaching the final fence and the 13-8 favourite kept on best of all to see off Patsy Hall by four and a half lengths.
The mare is now Cheltenham-bound and was cut to 8-1 with Coral, while Ladbrokes go 10-1 and Blue Square a more generous 14s.
Byrnes said: "She is definitely not slow and she was running away for most of the race.
"It was a muddily race. If they had gone a stronger gallop it would have helped her, and the first two would have pulled even further clear.
"The SunAlliance is the plan and she will probably come back here in February for the PJ Moriarty. She doesn't mind the ground and has won on good too, so better ground shouldn't be a problem."