A dream season for Jessica Harrington and Robbie Power continued today, with Sizing John winning the Coral Gold Cup at Punchestown.
The Cheltenham hero held off Djakadam and Coneygree in one of the most gripping races of the season, winning by a short head from Djakadam as a 9 to 10 favourite.
It completed a famous treble of wins in the Irish, Cheltenham and Punchestown Gold Cups this season, becoming the first horse ever to win all three in a single year.
And it also comes just over a week after the Harrington-Power partnership brought Our Duke to victory in the Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.
Power and Harrington both ended the day with a double. Power's second win came when Sizing Granite was a five length winner for trainer Henry de Bromhead in the Grade A Guinness Handicap Chase at odds of 14/1.
Harrington's Magic of Light had been an 11/1 winner in the opener, the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.
After day two @punchestownrace, The Champion Trainer prize-money is:@gelliott_racing €4,199,030 @WillieMullinsNH €3,922,250
Diff €276,780— Horse Racing Ireland (@GoRacing) April 26, 2017
It was also a good day for Gordon Elliott, whose lead over Willie Mullins in the trainers' championship is now €276,000, following two Grade 1 wins this afternoon.
First, Champagne Classic followed up his Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle win at Cheltenham by claiming the Irish Daily Mirror Novices Hurdle at odds of 14 to 1. He may have been described previously as a "dud" by owner Michael O'Leary, but Bryan Cooper found enough in the tank to hold off the Mullins favourite Penhill by just over two lengths.
Elliott had his double later this evening, with 11/8 favourite Fayonagh winning the Racing Post Champion INH Flat Race, Jamie Codd riding the winner to a five length victory from Paloma Blue in second.
Codd took a step close to the amateur jockeys' title, adding another win in the final race of the day, the Weatherbys General Stud Book European Breeders Fund Mares Flat Race. Minutestomidnight held off Mystic Theatre to win as an 11/4 favourite.
Elsewhere, the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle was won by the Willie Mullins trained C'est Jersey at odds of 7/1
