The enthusiastic Overturn led from flag fall to become the third British raider to claim the Guinness Galway Hurdle.
Donald McCain’s money-spinner was completing a famous double after winning the richly-endowed Northumberland Plate on the Flat at Newcastle last month.
Graham Lee, whose parents live within walking distance of the track, had an armchair ride the six-year-old, who scored by five and a half lengths from last year's winner Bahrain Storm, with Dirar a close-up third.
Fosters Cross was smartly away, but Overturn was soon in front and Lee was able to dictate the pace.
There was drama at the flight in front of the stands when Tony McCoy took a tumble from Lethal Weapon.
Thankfully the horse and the Galway Plate-winning rider got up relatively unscathed.
Barry Geraghty was the first to sense Overturn was not going to stop in front and made an early move on Dirar, but the leader pulled further away on the turn for home.
Overturn (6-1) then kept up the gallop to comprehensively lower the colours of Bahrain Storm, who collared Dirar for second place close home.
‘It's a dream come true, there is no other way to put it,’ said Lee.
‘It's huge credit to the horse because he's won a Scottish Champion Hurdle, a Northumberland Plate and now a Galway Hurdle, so he's been on the go a while.
‘My thoughts are with Jason (Maguire). Obviously the injury list for jockeys in England is large and he is on it and he would have ridden him.
‘I'm not going to compare him to any other good horse I've ridden, I've won a Galway Hurdle so I'm going to enjoy this.’
It was also some achievement for McCain as he was the first British-trained runner to succeed since Sagaman in 1991.
‘That was the sort of performance I was hoping for,’ said McCain.
‘He's improved all year and when I first bought him I was hoping he was this good, but it hadn't happened.
‘I don't know what the plan is but he's still in the Ebor.
‘I've asked him some tough questions and he's kept answering, so whether he needs a break or not I don't know, we'll see.
‘It was always the plan to make the running and Graham says he's a machine.’
Pat Flynn said of Bahrain Storm: ‘He jumped very well but he just met a horse who was better on the day.
‘He's won €50,000 for his owner so you can't complain.
‘The winner looks very good, I think he could be a Grade One horse, and I think ours could be when conditions are right.
‘It was just a bit firm for him but I'm proud of him.’
Barry Geraghty was at his brilliant best to win on the game Beau Michael in the St James's Gate Novice Chase.
The 4-1 joint-favourite, trained by Adrian McGuinness, pulled out all the stops to beat Armaramak by a neck.
McGuinness said: ‘We gave him a bit of a break, he won his novice chases, and we said we'd go for Galway. This looked to be the less competitive race for him.
‘He's a staying two-miler and that's what you need.’
Dirar's trainer Gordon Elliott struck with Chicago Grey in the Perfect Pint Beginners Chase, the 4-1 shot holding Prince Erik by neck in the hands of Paul Carberry.
‘It's great for owner John Earls, a Galway man,’ said Elliott.
‘He's been with me a good few years now and looks after you when you're in trouble.’
The Pat O'Donnell-trained Luttrell Lady (9-2), ridden by Joseph O'Brien, was awarded the Guinness Time Handicap in the stewards' room after going down by half a length to Separate Ways.
Separate Ways was demoted for causing interference when he edged left inside the final furlong, forcing O'Brien to briefly snatch up his mount and switch to make his challenge.
The highly-rated O'Brien later struck gold in the Arthur's Legacy Handicap when Dusty Trail (25-1) stormed home by a head from Hawk Flight.
O'Brien had to settle for second spot on Anam Chara, however, as the well-backed 5-2 favourite Smart Striking, ridden by 3lb claimer Ben Curtis, landed a gamble in the Arthur Guinness EBF Fillies' Handicap.
‘Smart Striking did it well on her first handicap run. I was a bit afraid to of the uneven track coming here with such an inexperienced filly,’ said trainer John Oxx.
James Cousins' Persian Gayle (7-1) was another to excel when claiming the Signature Novice Hurdle by a length and a half from Cooper's Crest.
