< Sizing Europe put up a superb performance to win his match-up with Big Zeb in the Boylesports.com Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown.
Andrew Lynch wasn't hanging around on Henry de Bromhead's star in the Grade Two contest, taking over from outsider Imperial Shabra at the second fence and making it a proper test for the crack two-milers.
Sizing Europe (9-10 favourite) always looked to be travelling best and when Lynch kicked away between the final two fences, Big Zeb could not raise his game and eventually passed the post 15 lengths adrift.
Charles Byrnes' progressive Trifolium laid down a marker with an impressive victory in the Gigginstown House Stud colours in the Racing UK Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle (Grade Two).
Second to the smart So Young last time, the five-year-old (7-4 favourite) was sent to the front after the third-last by Davy Russell and skipped clear to beat Simenon by an untroubled nine lengths.
Betting on the Eadestown GAA & Parish Fair Maiden Hurdle suggested it would be a stroll for Willie Mullins' hotpot Allure Of Illusion but it didn't work out that way.
Ruby Walsh made nearly all on the 1-5 favourite, but he didn't have much momentum over the last and couldn't resist the challenge of Robbie Power on Paul Nolan's King Vuvuzela (13-2), who grabbed a share of the spoils on the line.
Mullins' Scotsirish was 4-9 favourite for the Glenfarclas PP Hogan Memorial Chase over the banks course and though he wasn't too clever at the last under the trainer's son Patrick, he soon asserted to beat gallant old Garde Champetre by two lengths.
The Maurice Phelan-trained Portrait King (7-1) put up a sound staying performance under Davy Condon to take the Dobbins & Madigans National Trial by three and a quarter lengths from top-weight Up The Beat
John Berry's Cootamundra (14-1) travelled much the best down the straight in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle and found enough for Robbie Moran when required to hold Really Unique by half a length.
