BOTH of the graded race winners at Punchestown on Saturday were French-bred sons of two of that country’s top National Hunt stallions. Riviere D’Etel raced in France for Hugues Rousseau and breeder Yannick Fouin where she was runner-up in a listed hurdle race for three-year-olds at Auteuil last September.

Purchased to race in the Bective Stud colours of Noel and Valerie Moran, she opened her account over hurdles on New Year’s Eve at Punchestown and, two starts later, was not disgraced when a close up seventh behind Jeff Kidder at Cheltenham. Now she is two for two over fences after her win in the Grade 2 BetVictor Casino Novice Chase, and she has a bright future.