Latest news with #Ballyburn
Irish Examiner
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Ruby Walsh: Galopin Des Champs best horse in the Punchestown Gold Cup but Banbridge must be respected
Tuesday afternoon started in glorious Kildare sunshine; suncream and sunglasses were necessary. Punchestown's drive to attract British runners got the injection it needed when the raiders collected two of the first three races before six faced the starter for the first Grade One, and all were Irish. In typical Punchestown fashion, nobody seemed to be following the script, and while Willie Mullins landed both opening Grade Ones, it came with his third and fourth strings. Mark Walsh and Danny Mullins didn't seem to notice that most of the punters here wanted Kopek Des Bordes and Ballyburn to win, but two fine rides on 18/1 and 22/1 shots landed them the spoils before the big showdown kicked off at 6pm. This is exclusive subscriber content. Already a subscriber? Sign in Subscribe to access all of the Irish Examiner. Annual €120€60 Best value Monthly €10€4 / month Unlimited access. Subscriber content. Daily ePaper. Additional benefits.
Irish Daily Mirror
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Willie Mullins lands 7,428/1 treble on opening day of Punchestown Festival
Willie Mullins was the toast of the bookies as the Punchestown Festival got under way on Tuesday. The Closutton maestro landed a 7,428/1 treble at the Co Kildare venue as he won three races with outsiders, who were all big prices. Supreme Novices' Hurdle hero Kopek Des Bordes was sent off the 30/100 favourite for the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle, but made a number of mistakes throughout the two-mile contest and finished 19 lengths behind winner Iracny (18/1) as stablemates Salvator Mundi and Karbau came second and third respectively. Ballyburn was well supported to bounce back from his Cheltenham disappointment in the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase up next, but the 11/8 favourite lost the lead to stablemate Champ Kiely (22/1) before the last fence and the nine-year-old went on to score under Danny Mullins. The recently crowned British champion trainer ran four in the Goffs Defender Bumper and the biggest priced runner of the quartet came home in front as Wonderful Everyday (16/1) won under Ruth Dudfield. 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. Speaking after Champ Kiely's win, Mullins said: "Champ Kiely didn't enjoy Fairyhouse (finished third nine days ago) but today he was a different horse, and Danny rode him with huge confidence to follow Paul. 'He did everything right for Danny today. With all the hard luck we had in the race between fallers and a horse being brought down, it was great to see Danny getting into the picture at the third-last and I said this fella has a chance if Ballyburn doesn't stay in front.' Of Ballyburn, he added: 'He probably just didn't jump well enough on the day and I would say there'll be a lot of thought put into going back hurdling next season. 'We know he jumps hurdles fantastically and there might be a gap in the staying hurdling division for him.' The trainer commented on the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle: 'We took all the gear off Salvator Mundi today and it worked as far as his jumping was concerned, but he just got running too fast and they couldn't keep that up. Paul, knowing how good Salvator Mundi is, couldn't let him go. 'Irancy has always been a good horse and met with a setback after winning here earlier in the season, but it might have been the best thing to have happened as he came here fresh. 'I gave Kopek Des Bordes a nice break after Cheltenham and probably gave him too much and should have brought him to somewhere like Ayr or Perth! 'Looking at him in the parade ring, I thought he was carrying too much condition and that showed at today's pace.'
RTÉ News
29-04-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Champ Kiely scores upset win to clinch Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown
Champ Kiely upset his better fancied stablemate Ballyburn to claim top honours in a dramatic renewal of the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown. Willie Mullins saddled five of the eight runners that went to post for the Grade One contest, but first his Cheltenham Festival hero Lecky Watson fell at the fifth obstacle and brought down stablemate Impaire Et Passe before a third Closutton runner, Ile Atlantique, came to grief a few fences later. Champ Kiely went clear at the penultimate fence before securing the win in the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase. #rteracing 📺 Watch: @rte2 & @rteplayer 📱 Results: — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 29, 2025 Ballyburn, an 11-8 favourite to bounce back from Cheltenham disappointment, moved to the front on the second circuit - but 22-1 shot Champ Kiely and Danny Mullins sat in his slipstream before the home turn and had more to give in the straight, with six and a half lengths separating the pair at the line. Mullins said: "Champ Kiely didn't enjoy Fairyhouse (finished third nine days ago) but today he was a different horse, and Danny rode him with huge confidence to follow Paul. "He did everything right for Danny today. With all the hard luck we had in the race between fallers and a horse being brought down, it was great to see Danny getting into the picture at the third-last and I said this fella has a chance if Ballyburn doesn't stay in front." A delighted Michael Masterson speaks to RTE Sport following Champ Kiely's impressive victory. #rteracing #rteracing 📺 Watch: @rte2 & @rteplayer 📱 Results: — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 29, 2025 Of Ballyburn, he added: "He probably just didn't jump well enough on the day and I would say there'll be a lot of thought put into going back hurdling next season. "We know he jumps hurdles fantastically and there might be a gap in the staying hurdling division for him." Watch the Punchestown Festival from Tuesday to Saturday with RTÉ Sport. Coverage begins at 3.30pm for first three days and on Friday at 4pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Watch on Saturday from 3pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.
Irish Daily Mirror
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Punchestown Festival 2025 day 1 tips: Robbie Power's selections for Tuesday
Fact To File is strongly fancied to land the William Hill Champion Chase (6.00), the feature race on day one of the Punchestown Festival. Dropping to two miles shouldn't be an issue for the Ryanair Chase winner and a big galloping track like Punchestown should play to his strengths. It's a great clash between him and Champion Chase victor Marine Nationale and it should be really exciting to see, but I do think it will be JP McManus' green and gold silks that are carried to victory by Mark Walsh for Willie Mullins. The Closutton trainer has a really good record in this race, having won five of the last six renewals, and he could land another here. Another Mullins runner, Kopek Des Bordes, can maintain his unbeaten record by following up his Supreme Novices' Hurdle win with another victory in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle at 4.15. It's very hard to oppose him under Paul Townend, but stablemate Salvator Mundi is a course and distance winner, which will help, as will the drying ground. But on drying ground at Cheltenham he was no match for Kopek Des Bordes and I think the Monabeg Investments Limited-owned runner will come home in front again. The Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase comes next at 4.50 and this is a very competitive Grade 1, in which you can make a case for a number of runners. Lecky Watson was very impressive at Cheltenham when finishing eight and a half lengths ahead of Ballyburn in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase. All of Slade Steel's really good form is on soft ground, but we think he'll appreciate nicer ground and stepping up to three miles will definitely suit him. But Ballyburn could be very hard to beat. I think they got the tactics totally wrong on him in Cheltenham. I can see them letting him gallop along in front today and if gets into a rhythm he will be very difficult to get past for the Mullins team. I wouldn't have a strong knowledge on the form of the point-to-pointers in today's opening race (2.30), but one that looks interesting is Richard O'Keeffe's runner, Turnupdevolume. He won a point-to-point a little over two weeks ago and jockey Barry Thomas Stone takes off a valuable seven pounds here. There's a really strong British challenge in the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final Handicap Hurdle and a number of runners from across the Irish Sea look very interesting in it. One that really stands out is Boyles Hill for Welsh trainer Evan Williams, with his daughter Isabel, who is a very capable jockey, taking the ride. This six-year-old has won his last two starts and Evan Williams wouldn't be sending one over here if he didn't think he had a very good chance. Lark In The Mornin is at the top of the market for the Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle at 3.40 despite being a little bit disappointing at Cheltenham when finishing third last in the County Hurdle, although he wasn't beaten that far. But the one I'm siding with is Serienmond, who won at Leopardstown in March before finishing third at Fairyhouse last week when only beaten 2¼ lengths by winner Lord Erskine. The strongest line of form in the Goffs Defender Bumper at 5.25 is Santo Sospir for Gordon Elliott and Harry Swan after winning here earlier in the season. But it is very interesting that Nicky Henderson has brought over Laguna Beach in the colours of Michael Buckley and he could run a very big race. And in the last race on the card at 6.35 Starting Fifteen is fancied for Emmet McNamara after finishing second on debut at Limerick in March. Bet of the day - Fact To File - 6.00
BBC News
12-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Marine Nationale seals emotional Cheltenham triumph
Marine Nationale claimed an emotional victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham 5-1 chance, ridden by Sean Flanagan for owner-trainer Barry Connell, won a dramatic race by 18 lengths from favourite Jonbon, whose progress was halted by a jumping Nationale had won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle two years ago in the same yellow and blue colours for Michael O'Sullivan, the Irish jockey who died after a fall last month."I'm just the man on him today, Michael made him what he is," said Flanagan."It's hugely emotional for a lot of reasons. His family find it very hard. Jockeys in Ireland, England and around the world have been under a cloud in the last couple of weeks." The New Lion brings 80th winner for McManus The New Lion (3-1) extended his unbeaten run to five with an impressive win from The Yellow Clay in the Turners Novices' Harry Skelton triumphed for trainer brother Dan to seal an 80th Festival victory for owner JP McManus, who bought the horse earlier this year."He's a phenomenal horse and I've never had one like this," said Dan of The New Lion, who is around a 7-1 shot for next year's Champion Watson was guided by Sean O'Keeffe to a surprise 20-1 triumph in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase for Willie Ballyburn was sent off the warm favourite but he never recovered from a major blunder at the seventh Mullins outsider, the 16-1 chance Jimmy Du Seuil, won the Coral Cup under the trainer's nephew Danny. The winner had finished 13 lengths second to Ballyburn as a novice hurdler at Cheltenham last 5-2 favourite Stumptown stayed on best of all to win the Cross Country Chase for jockey Keith Donoghue and trainer Gavin Cromwell. Latenightpass was second with Vanillier third, having earlier nearly led the whole field down the wrong route. More to follow.
