Willie Mullins has got his string in fine fettle and he completed a treble at Thurles when Pickapocketortwo took the INH Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle.
All four runners were bang in contention approaching the home turn, but hot favourite Ipsos Du Berlais and Pickapocketortwo pulled clear at the second last.
Patrick Mullins, who was completing a double of his own on the day, just had slightly more horse under him and he came home ?? ahead, though he had to survive a stewards' enquiry after getting close to the runner-up near the line.< Popcorn kickstarted Mullins' winning run when seeing off all challengers in the www.thurlesraces.ie Beginners Chase.
Always prominent under Patrick Mullins, the 11-4 chance had only favourite Rathlin for company after the fourth last and his better jumping sealed the deal as he skipped away to win by five and a half lengths.< Turban made a successful hurdling debut in the Cahir Maiden Hurdle.
Hot favourite Trifolium appeared to have a slight edge approaching the last, but the heavy ground took its toll and Turban (9-2) scooted clear on the run-in to beat the staying-on Folsom Blue by a length and a half.
Mullins had to settle for third in the Munster Maiden Hurdle as his odds-on favourite Aupcharlie had no answer to Jim Culloty's Lord Windermere.
The pair reeled in long-time leader American Flyer at the end of the back straight, but Lord Windermere (25-1) was always travelling best for Tom Doyle and he ran on strongly to beat Golanbrook by six and a half lengths.< Miss Pepperpot (7-2) took advantage of a last-fence fall by Andrea's Answer to land the Templemore Handicap Chase, while the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Hurdle went the way of Ted Walsh's well-backed 5-2 favourite That'll Do Me
Christy Roche's Touch Back (11-10) looked a very promising sort when taking the concluding Liscahill INH Flat Race.
