A thrilling front-running performance from Great Field helped put Willie Mullins within relative striking distance of Gordon Elliott in the battle for the Irish trainers' championship following day three of the Punchestown Festival.

Mullins had started the afternoon €276,780 behind his big rival and ended the evening on €126,830 - yet it could have been even better if Nichols Canyon had not been narrowly denied in the feature race of the day.

Mullins was without a runner in the first three races on the card, and with Elliott himself having no representative in the third race it saw him manage just a minor increase after Potters Point was fifth in the pigsback.com Nick Coen Memorial Handicap Chase.

Harry Fry's British raider Unowhatimeanharry had delivered what looked at the time like a fatal blow to Mullins' hopes as he dug deep for Noel Fehily to reverse Cheltenham running with Ruby Walsh and Nichols Canyon by a head in the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle. Footpad was third for Mullins to at least reduce the deficit to €221,230.

Mullins, who went equally close in Wednesday's feature Punchestown Gold Cup with Djakadam, said: "We are just not getting the rub of the green, I suppose. However, they are running well.

"Footpad was running a good race and I was hoping he might finish nearer, but for the first two to open up 18 lengths was a lot."

After the excitement of the Stayers Hurdle it was Fry and Fehily again through 7/1 joint-favourite Minella Awards in the Shamrock Enterprises Handicap Hurdle, and with Mullins and Elliott just picking up the pieces it was more or less as you were at a difference of €215,830.

But renewed hope and no need for any "rub of the green" came in the Ryanair Novice Chase as Great Field (9/10 favourite) led his field a merry dance under Jody McGarvey, looking every inch a top-class prospect.

He bagged the best part of €70,000 for the Closutton team in the Unowhatimeanharry colours of JP McManus as the margin between Elliott - who took third with Ball D'Arc - and Mullins dropped to €152,580.

Mullins insisted afterwards: "I'm not looking at the gap. I'm looking at trying to win races and have a good week."

ONE-TWO-THREE

And Elliott could have been forgiven for getting more than a little nervous following the Alanna Homes Mares Novice Hurdle, with 13/8 favourite Asthuria leading home a Mullins one-two-three, and in the process giving Walsh a first winner of the week.

Walsh sounded a battle cry as he said: "We're clawing our way back. It's just typical of our season that we needed Nichols or Djakadam, one of those huge pots. Gordon has set some pace, he'll probably get it (title) off us but we're not going to give it to him."

Asthuria's efforts left Mullins 'just' €129,455 behind going into the concluding bumper but there was to be no treble as Dead Right (8/1) made it three British-trained winners in obliging for Neil Mulholland and Jonjo O'Neill jnr, beating Mullins' odds-on favourite Next Destination by four and a half lengths.

Mullins said: "We've been hitting the crossbar, but one or two are starting to go in now so we'll keep our fingers crossed. I'd say Apple's Jade (Mares Champion Hurdle on Saturday) might put paid to that, but we'll keep going until it's over."

Reflecting the pattern on the day, Paddy Power eased Elliott to 4/6 favourite from 4/7 to claim a first championship, while trimming Mullins to 11/10 from 5/4.