Joy for Mullins as Jade De Grugy too good for Brighterdaysahead, Lulamba boost for Henderson
JADE DE GRUGY produced a career-best performance to continue Willie Mullins' recent domination of the SBK Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown
The Closutton handler had saddled eight of the last 10 winners of the Grade One contest and having finished best of the rest behind esteemed stablemate Lossiemouth in the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, Jade De Grugy was even-money to add to his tally.
After initially being settled in third place by Paul Townend, the six-year-old was allowed to stride on in front heading out for the second circuit, a move which was covered by her main rival Brighterdaysahead, who was bidding to bounce back from a disappointing run in the Champion Hurdle.
The big two were clear of the chasing pack rounding the home turn and Jade De Grugy always looked to be going the better, pulling further ahead in the straight to score by six and a half lengths. A tiring Brighterdaysahead was eventually beaten to the runner-up spot by the winner's stablemate Gala Marceau.
Mullins said of the winner: 'She's a mare that's been improving all year. Nicer ground was a big help and tactically Paul was brilliant.
'Brighterdaysahead probably just had a very hard race at Christmas and she never really recovered from it.
Advertisement
'We're delighted to be able to win a Grade One with a filly like this and I'd say we'll probably train her for the Mares' Hurdle again next year.'
Later at Punchestown, Lulamba turned the tables on his Cheltenham Festival conqueror Poniros to land the Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle.
So impressive on his British debut at Ascot, Nicky Henderson's Lulamba looked set to follow up in the Triumph Hurdle after getting the better of a protracted battle with East India Dock. But both were caught late by the Willie Mullins-trained 100-1 shot Poniros, who was making his hurdling debut.
Lulamba was an 11-10 favourite to exact his revenge on Irish soil and give Henderson and jockey James Bowen a welcome boost following Constitution Hill's disappointing run in the Boodles Champion Hurdle just over 24 hours earlier – and ultimately did so in good style.
Always close to the pace, Lulamba led Poniros into the home straight and finished strongly from the final flight to win the rematch by four lengths, with Hello Neighbour a close-up third.
Lulamba was providing owners Joe and Marie Donnelly with their second Grade One winner of the week following State Man's victory over Constitution Hill on Friday.
'These are big days, it's been a big week and a great week for the Donnelly family. Two winners like that is pretty special,' said Henderson.
'We tried to get in the way yesterday, it was a bitter pill, but well done them. Now we've done it together.'
He added: 'This is a fantastic place, we love it. This is a proper horse for another day. He deserves it as much as everybody.
'I wouldn't say he was unlucky not to win in Cheltenham, he couldn't do anything about it at the time and we got a bit of revenge there.
'He's a lovely horse for the future, you wouldn't be surprised if he didn't come back over fences next year. I don't know, it's early days and it's only the fourth race of his life.
'He's a big baby to be doing juvenile hurdles against Flat horses, so fair credit to him.'
Of Constitution Hill, Henderson said: 'He's OK. He's a bit sore, but he's fine.
'He's got a long summer in front of him, he'll be back.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
28-05-2025
- Irish Independent
Jack Kennedy closing in on July return to saddle after latest injury blow
Kennedy enjoyed one of his greatest achievements in the saddle when landing his first Irish jumps jockeys' championship at the end of the 2023/24 but the past 12 months have been dogged with injury. The Kerry rider suffered a sixth leg break in Fairyhouse at the end of November before making it back in time for the Cheltenham Festival, where he drew a blank from his 17 mounts. The last of those was a nasty fall from Corbetts Cross in the Gold Cup and the 25-year-old decided to take some time out afterwards to get back to 100pc after being battered and bruised. Kennedy is happy now to report that he will be back in action well before the Galway Festival at the end of July as he hopes for better luck after going through the wringer with injury. "I'll be back on the 1st of July after the National Hunt break," Kennedy told as one of Ireland's most accomplished jockeys chases a return to the winners' enclosure in the near future.
Irish Daily Mirror
21-05-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Rachael Blackmore observation made as jockey makes retirement admission
The praise continues to come for Rachael Blackmore following her decision to retire from the saddle. The jockey announced last week that she was stepping down as a jockey with immediate effect. She expanded on her decision in an interview with Betfair on Tuesday, admitting she first had thoughts of retiring at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Blackmore was a true trailblazer, winning the Grand National, Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle among a host of other historic firsts. 'When I was leaving the weighing room at Cheltenham on Friday this year, for the first time I just had a little thought in my head: 'Will I be back here next season?',' she told Betfair. 'It was the first time that thought had ever crept into my head. I didn't know. 'Part of me thought I would be back, part of me thought I wouldn't . 'I just said to myself leave it until June and get to the jockeys' break. I'd think about it all then.' Blackmore's last winner aboard Ma Belle Etoile at Cork in early May and confirmed her decision, with the jockey announcing her retirement the following day. 'I was going to Cork the other day and I thought: 'If this one wins then maybe that's the time to call it',' she said. 'She won and, the following morning, I fully decided that was it.' Click on this link or scan the QR code to receive the latest Cheltenham Festival news and top stories from the Irish Mirror direct to your phone on WhatsApp. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. The Tipperary native does not have an immediate plan for the next step in her career, and will adapt to a different lifestyle before considering what to turn her hand to. 'Even though retiring was probably a feeling inside me that I had kind of dampened down, it wasn't part of a massive plan to retire that Saturday, there is nothing set up but I am very lucky that I can take a few weeks and decide what might be next,' she said. 'It will be a very different life to the one I had previously." People have been taking to social media in their droves to pay tribute to Blackmore, who has been hailed as a class act both on and off the track. One person wrote: "Rachael Blackmore top class in and out of the saddle, incredible career." Sanctuary Runners Ireland said: "We salute the amazing Rachael Blackmore this week as she announces her retirement. A class act on the track and off it - she supported a campaign we ran with @UNHCRIreland back in 2020." Legendary trainer Aidan O'Brien said Blackmore was a "legend in her own lifetime". Former jockey Katie Walsh stated: "She had a great way of reading races, she was strong both physically and mentally and would line up there with the best of them every day of the week and she was just an inspiration as a human being, she was just absolutely brilliant."
RTÉ News
20-05-2025
- RTÉ News
Rachael Blackmore: It wasn't a massive plan, it just felt like the right time
Just a week after announcing her retirement as a jockey, Rachael Blackmore says it wasn't part of a "massive plan" and that the timing just "felt right." The Tipperary rider announced her retirement last week after a glittering 16-year career, in which she became the first female jockey to win the Aintree Grand National in 2021 and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2022 - won aboard Minella Times and A Plus Tard respectively. Blackmore rode a total of 18 winners at Cheltenham over the course of her career and also became the first woman to be leading jockey at the festival in 2022. Reflecting in the wake of her retirement and the tributes which followed, Blackmore spoke to Ruby Walsh and Damien O'Meara on RTÉ 2fm's Game On, admitting she was "blown away" by the response to the news. "It wasn't a massive plan. I never knew how that day would come. But it did come," Blackmore said of her decision to retire. "It just felt right in that moment. It felt like the right time. "I'm so blown away by the response. Obviously, I knew it would be a news story in some shape. The amount of coverage in the newspapers. The amount of articles. "The amount of people that have written to me and rang me and sent me messages. People that you might pass and you know them but you don't have their numbers. But they've gone out of their way to get my number and send me a message. I'm just so blown away by that." Asked to cite her most memorable victory, Blackmore first plumped for her final win aboard Honeysuckle in the 2023 Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham, though acknowledged that few things in racing could top the joy of a Grand National victory. "I think coming back into the winners' enclosure on Honeysuckle on her last race was a phenomenal feeling. "Even visually, I hope I'll never forget what it looked like. It was just black with people. There was no space anywhere. "It was different. It didn't feel like it was just about me riding a winner. It wasn't about that. It was about loads of other things. It was a very special moment. "I don't know would I love to live it again because it was sad as well. But it was a standout moment. "Obviously, winning the Grand National was just phenomenal. You just don't feel joy like that instantaneously when you cross the line. I've never felt such a kick of joy straight away. "You ride winners in Cheltenham and you feel relief because there's pressure and so on. But the Grand National is just joy straight away. "I was very lucky when I got linked up with Henry DeBromhead. He had a serious yard of horses. "It just elevated my career to a whole new level. You need to get the bounce of the ball essentially and I feel like I got that. "There's so many good riders in the weighing room and there's only a certain amount of races in a day. There can only be seven jockeys or whatever ride a winner in a day. You have to be getting on the right horses to achieve these things." On her future plans, the 35-year old said she was taking her time before deciding what to pursue next but stressed that she felt lucky to be retiring on her own terms. "I wish I knew. I never thought about what I'd do when I'd finish. Because I felt so lucky to be in the position I was. I just wanted to focus on what I was doing. I'm very lucky that I can take a few weeks and try and figure everything out. "I'm so lucky I got to finish when I wanted to. Physically I'm fine. I could go out and ride in the morning if I wanted to. My body is good. "I've had my injuries, I've had my breaks. But I had very good people looking after me. I'm well patched up now. "I was very lucky throughout my career in that sense. I didn't come off too badly on the injury side of it. Every jockey has their falls and I got my share of them. But they could always have been a lot worse."
