Charlie Swan wound up a nineth successive championship winning season when producing Honey Trader with a well-timed challenge to take the featured Stanley Racing Customer Comes First Handicap Hurdle at Tralee yesterday.

Swan showed just why he has been dubbed the "punters darling" when giving the six-year-old gelding, whose trainer Michael Hourigan is on holiday in Portugal, a strong ride to pip Strategic Ploy close home by half a length.

"Bad will always beat worse," was the verdict of Paddy Prendergast after his Pixie Dancer finally got off the mark in the Ballyheigue Maiden Hurdle. John Shortt sent the son of Rambo Dancer to the front early in the straight, and the combination had five lengths to spare over River Cora at the line.

The seven runner Kingdom Beginners Chase proved an incidentpacked affair, with Flying In The Gale eventually finishing alone under Norman Williamson. The Strong Gale mare, trained locally by Tom Cooper, was left in front after the free-running Katiymann fell early on, and all three of her remaining rivals, including favourite Jacky Flynn, departed at the third last.

Forget About It upset the odds laid about Woodwin in the Ardfert Maiden. The John Murtagh-ridden runner-up was boxed-in at a crucial stage early in the straight and, after being switched to the outer in order to get a run, failed by a diminishing three quarters of a length.

Danny Grant recorded his fourth winner of the flat campaign when the diminutive Kate Emily stayed on courageously to hold Granuale by three quarters of a length in the Ballybeggan Racegoers Club Handicap.