Representing last season’s John Smith’s Grand National-winning combination of trainer Martin Brassil and jockey Niall Madden, Nickname (6-1) denied Central House successive victories in this Grade Two contest over two miles.

Madden was content to place Nickname off the pace as Central House took the five runners along.

However, Madden started to make his move as the field turned for home with three to jump.

Challenging the long-time leader on the run to the last, he touched down in front and battled on well to hold Hughes’ nine-year-old by three-quarters of a length.

Watson Lake was a further six lengths third.

Brassil said: “Two and a half miles is really his trip but it’s a tough two miles here.”

The Curragh trainer nominated the John Durkan Memorial Chase on December 10 at Punchestown followed by the Paddy Power Dial A Bet Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas as the next races for Nickname.

Rosaker took advantage of a disappointing display from hot favourite Al Eile to win the Phillips Electronics Lismullen Hurdle for a second time.

After 4-5 shot Al Eile ruined his chance with a bad mistake at the fourth-last flight, Rosaker swept into the lead for Paul Carberry.

From then on, Noel Meade’s nine-year-old, who beat Hardy Eustace in this race in 2003, bounded clear of the opposition.

The 9-2 shot went on to beat Emotional Moment by six lengths with Brogella another two and a half lengths back in third.

Meade said: “That was magic and he jumped super.

“He always runs well when fresh and twisted a joint after he won at Leopardstown last Christmas so he’s been off since.

“He may run again before Christmas but I don’t know. The race he won last year at Leopardstown (the Christmas Hurdle) could be the target again.”

Al Eile was reported to have scoped badly after the race.

Rosaker was completing a 21-1 double for Meade and Carberry after they took the opening INH Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle with Major Stampi (3-1 joint-favourite).

Meade went on to make it a 34{-1 treble when Mick The Man (8-13f), ridden by Nina Carberry, ran out an easy winner of the concluding Meath Farm Machinery INH Flat Race.

Clopf (8-13f) completed a quick across-the-card double for Edward O’Grady with an effortless victory in the Bar-One Racing “For Auction” Novice Hurdle.

Twenty minutes after Ride The Storm (14-1) struck for O’Grady at Limerick, Clopf put in a superb round of hurdling in the hands of Barry Geraghty to follow up last month’s Clonmel success in tremendous style.

He easily beat Aitmatov, runner-up at Clonmel, by 12 lengths with Gleann An Sagart seven more lengths back in third.

Geraghty and O’Grady also teamed up to take this Grade Three event with O’Muircheartaigh in 2005.

“He’s home-bred and I was delighted with that,” said O’Grady.

“I think he’ll improve for that as he looks a very natural jumper.

“He might even be better on better ground. That’s what Barry thought and he’s very sweet on him.

When asked about the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival as a possible long-term goal for Clopf, O’Grady added: “I hope to be making that entry in due course.

“He’ll next go to the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse at the end of the month.”

Clopf is now 11-1 favourite from 20-1 with William Hill for the Allied Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ hurdle.

“We originally went 14-1 after the race but were knocked over,” said Hills’ spokesman Ben Clarke.