JESSICA Harrington bagged a quick double at Punchestown when Don't Touch It reversed form with Hurricane Ben in the Grade B pigsback.com Nick Coen Memorial Handicap Chase.

Don't Touch It had finished eight lengths behind Hurricane Ben at Fairyhouse yet was 8lb better off this time and cruised to the front at the second last. Hurricane Ben attempted to make all but was a sitting duck as Mark Walsh sent the 5/1 chance into the lead, although Caolaneoin and Neverushacon, a stablemate of the winner, made him pull out all the stops.

"I was there a mile too soon. Even with the cheekpieces he was still having a look at the crowd and pricked his ears," said Walsh. "Luckily the others challenged me in plenty of time and he stuck his head down.

"Mrs Harrington's horses are in flying form and it's a joy to ride them. He won a Grade 1 here last year and good ground is a big help to him."

Harrington said: "The horses are just in good form. They just all seem to be coming together at the right time. I thought he was unlucky in Fairyhouse, he just couldn't quite get to him. He's got a lot of class, but he's definitely a bit of a Scorpion. Mark said he nearly got him beaten by going to the front too soon.

"He just cruised there but when he gets to the front he thinks it's great fun and 'I'm here why should I go any quicker'. I put cheekpieces on for the first time as Barry (Geraghty) said in Fairyhouse to put them on him."

"I have a great team behind me and I'm very lucky to have them. We've got up to a bit of a high peak. The only way is down and it's usually very quickly down!"

OPENING RACE

Harrington had earlier struck with Bobabout in the opening race, the JLT Handicap Hurdle.

The winner faced a wall of horses turning into the straight, but picked up well to claim Runyon Rattler in a photo finish to reward Harrington's growing army of followers at 8/1. Neil Mulholland's Pinkie Brown ran well to finish third. The winner had undergone an unusual prep having only run on the Flat at Navan on Sunday.

"That's just one of those races when you know that things are going your way," said Power. "I was brought to a standstill at the fourth-last and I actually considered pulling-up, I thought I had no chance.

"I thought I'd hack home, creep around the inside and the more I passed the more he came alive until going to the last I thought I would win. Taking the hood off today has made a difference. Jessie's horses are in flying form, all credit to her team."

Harrington said: "These distances are getting shorter and shorter. We went from a head to a short-head yesterday to a nose today. It's not good for the nerves.

"That was the most amazing run because he was virtually brought down at the fourth-last and Robert said it crossed his mind to pull him up. He loved that ground and today was the first day he really jumped. During the winter he couldn't jump off the heavy ground.

"He had a little blow out on Sunday on the flat. Again he was very keen on Sunday. He's probably better when they go a really good gallop and he does settle. He'll learn to settle in time."