Racing: Ruby Walsh is homing in on the national hunt jockeys' title after Neptune Collonges and Freds Benefit gave him two more priceless wins at Punchestown.
The former won the Grade One Guinness Gold Cup for the second successive season, while the latter bagged the concluding Three.ie Novice Chase.
Title rival Davy Russell had earlier closed the gap to five after booting home Solwhit in the Evening Herald Hurdle.
But Walsh moved further ahead as the Paul Nicholls-trained Neptune Collonges justified favouritism at 9-10 with a smooth performance.
Freds Benefit then rounded things off nicely in the last, leaving Walsh on 129 wins to Russell's 122 with just three days remaining until the season concludes on Saturday.
The trainers' championship is also likely to be a close-run thing, although Willie Mullins holds the advantage over Noel Meade thanks to the performances of Cousin Vinny, Snowy Morning and Fred Benefit.
The former became the first horse to win the Paddy Power Champion INH Flat Race after landing the Cheltenham Festival equivalent, while Snowy Morning picked up over €50,000 euros for chasing home Neptune Collonges.
JP McManus still holds sway over Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown House Stud in the owners' title race.