MOST eyes were on the Derby Festival at Epsom last weekend and it was easy to overlook that Willie Mullins dispatched a team of 13 runners to Punchestown’s two-day fixture, writes Andy Stephens

The first dozen, including five favourites, were all beaten, but one of those defeated market leaders, Jalila Moriviere, seems certain to be making amends soon.

She had to settle for second in the two and a half miles handicap chase on Sunday, having looked sure to win between the last two fences after heading front-running Vaureal.

However, Vaureal put in the better jump at the final obstacle, exiting 1.17mph quicker than Jalila Moriviere and grabbing almost three quarters of a length in an instance. He made the most of the momentum swing to narrowly prevail, with the rest well strung out.

Jalila Moriviere was conceding 17lb to the winner, minus the 3lb claim of Aidan Kelly, and, overall, jumped cleanly, getting a Jump Index score of 8.2 out of 10 and gaining 18 lengths with her leaping. The trouble is that the winner was similarly proficient.

The Galway Festival seems sure to be on Jalila Moriviere’s agenda, especially after her creditable sixth in the Galway Hurdle last year.

Another to take out of the meeting was Pourquoi Poi, who finished third in Saturday’s three mile and a furlong handicap Ccase on only his second start over fences, and first in a handicap.

Overall, the five-year-old, trained by Paul Flynn, jumped like an old hand, getting a Jump Index score of 8.5 and gaining almost 24 lengths in the air.

However, he was trying the trip for the first time and was betrayed by a lack of stamina after leading between the last two fences.

That contributed to him making an error at the last and surrendering 6.25mph. He had lost between 1.6mph and 4.89mph at the previous 16 fences.

Pourquoi Poi should be winning soon, either over a bare three miles or returned to shorter.