Yorkshire trainer Tim Easterby got it right when it counted most with Bally Pride who lifted the £59,000 first prize in last night's Goffs £100,000 Challenge at the Curragh.

The 15,000 Guineas purchase hadn't won in three starts previously but under a patient ride from Eddie Ahern he got up in the last 200 yards to beat Yara by half a length with the warm favourite Imperialist only third.

It was Easterby's first winner in Ireland and he said: "I've had this race in mind from the word go and I knew he was a talented horse. He disappointed me when only third at York, he had problems with the stalls in his next race and he was then beaten at Ripon. I suppose he has been badly trained until now!"

Such jokey remarks were not being made by bookmakers after the Funky Friday Handicap when the Pat Hughes trained Silverware landed a substantial gamble in style.

Backed to 5 to 2 favourite from double those odds, Silverware, who had only just scraped home previously at Roscommon, sauntered through under Jamie Spencer to win as he liked from Evanilda.

"He didn't like the track or the ground the last day and maybe the mile suited him better too," said Hughes.

Spencer went to land an impressive treble. He combined with Co Carlow based Hughes again to take the Silken Thomas Handicap with Perfect Scoundrel who denied Osprey Ridge in the closing stages and in the last, he brought Young American with a sustained run to deprive Supreme Certainty in the closing stages.

The 7 to 4 favourite Scottish Memories was beaten on the turn in.

Lucky Legend, wearing a tongue tie for the first time, made all and quickened at the three pole for Michael Kinane to beat the gambled on Grand Ambition in the mile maiden.

And Kenema just got home from the slightly unlucky Electrum in the sprint handicap.

Piranesi overhauled Playing Hours to win the Apprentice Derby but the latter's rider Paul Scallon afterwards got a three day ban for using his whip with excessive frequency.