Having only her second outing over fences, the Robert Tyner-trained Byerley Babe outclassed her rivals in the Student Race Festival Mares Beginners Chase on the final day of Limerick’s Christmas meeting.

Ruby Walsh began his afternoon in style by guiding Colin McBratney’s Toye Native to victory in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Maiden Hurdle at Limerick yesterday.

The locally trained Starkie, in the care of Henry de Bromhead, won the Waterford and Tramore Racecourse Novice Hurdle at the seaside track yesterday.

The Colm Murphy-trained Rye Martini continued the impressive early season form being enjoyed by Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud when making a successful racecourse debut in the opening maiden hurdle on yesterday’s truncated card at Tipperary.