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Irish Examiner
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Mighty Majborough brings up double century for Mullins
Majborough's wide-margin success in the Grade One Barberstown Castle Novice Chase provided trainer Willie Mullins with his 200th winner of the season in Ireland and his promising young chaser did it in a style befitting the landmark. Readily making amends for his near miss at Cheltenham, he led quite early in this race and dominated thereafter despite a tendency to jump out to his left. Only By Night, who finished a place in front of him in the Arkle, showed a good attitude to hold onto second place, but there were 14 lengths between the first two. "He's always been inclined to do a little left shuffle when he's not sure of himself, but as long as he knows what he's doing, I don't really care,' declared Mullins. 'He's a huge horse but he's very light framed and is an athlete every time you look at him. He's well over 17 hands. From the moment he stepped off the lorry at home, I thought he could be some article. 'Looking at Fact To File and then at him, I was thinking there were similar attributes — they're tall, long athletes with a huge stride and great jumps. 'Looking at him in the parade ring today, there wasn't one ounce of spare flesh on him, and I couldn't have galloped him one more time. He's only five and a summer's grass will really make him mature strong.' Thinking of next season, Mullins added: "I'd imagine you'd have to look at the Champion Chase, but he could go up in trip either. I think he's easy enough to ride." Gordon Elliott broke his duck for the week when the reliable Teahupoo successfully retained his Ladbrokes Champion Stayers' Crown. In a slowly run affair, there were plenty of opportunities to find trouble in running, and the Robcour gelding didn't manage to avoid it all. However, when push came to shove from Sam Ewing, the right response was there, and he raced clear down over the last and strode on powerfully to the line to beat Asterion Forlonge, just as he did 12 months earlier. 'This horse has got me out of trouble a few times and he's done it again,' said a relieved Elliott. 'He's a star of a horse. I was panicking turning in, to be honest, but if we had had a couple of winners, I'd have had my chest out. 'He's so laidback at home you nearly start questioning yourself, wondering if he is a bit heavy going around the ring. Sam gave him a no-nonsense ride. I'm very lucky to have the riders I have, the staff I have and the owners. 'I was dreaming last night if Teahupoo could win today and Meath could win the Leinster final it would turn what has been a rough season to a great season.' For the winning rider, it was a fifth Grade One of the season, and sixth in all. 'I'm delighted for the horse, the Robcour team and Gordon,' said Ewing. 'He was a bit unlucky to run into Lossiemouth at Fairyhouse on his first start of the season and unlucky to be beaten at Cheltenham, but it's absolutely brilliant to win today. 'Gordon told me to kick on off the bend — Jack (Kennedy) did something similar last year . It was hustle and bustle, but I pulled him out a bit wider than I was because I just wasn't happy with how it was going to unfold going down the back and thankfully, I got a nice position then.'
Daily Mirror
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Galopin Des Champs rediscovers championship-winning form to break Punchestown jinx
Galopin Des Champs rediscovered his championship-winning form to break his Punchestown jinx on Wednesday. The outstanding chaser tried to make history at the Cheltenham Festival by clinching a rare Cheltenham Gold Cup hat-trick. Despite going off the 8-13 favourite, he was thwarted by rising star Inothewayurthinkin who defeated him by six lengths. Trainer Willie Mullins gave Galopin Des Champs a chance to redeem himself in the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup on a track which had not been a happy hunting ground lately. Paul Townend produces 'feat of horsemanship' to win Grade 1 for Willie Mullins with no irons James Milner and Danny Welbeck's exciting racehorse to challenge for 2,000 Guineas He had been beaten on his last three visits to the course, twice by Fastorslow and once in a race won by stablemate Fact To File. Galopin Des Champs faced three rivals in the latest renewal, including the King George VI Chase winner Banbridge. Jockey Paul Townend took him straight to the front and Galopin Des Champs drew further and further away from his opponents, winning by 22 lengths to claim his 15 Grade 1 victory, producing the performance of a chasing great. 'We are very, very fortunate to have him,' said the winning jockey. 'Obviously we were very disappointed coming away from Cheltenham. 'The reception he gets his special and we are just lucky to be a part of it. He's a unique horse.' Galopin Des Champs gave Townend his only scare when jinking at the road crossing and producing a scruffy jump at the last. 'It wouldn't be like him at all but the fact he done it meant he was doing things easy enough,' Townend said. 'In fairness he gave me plenty of warning. After that he got in a good rhythm and enjoyed it. 'He was taking me today whereas I was trying to hang in there in Cheltenham. He wasn't right in Cheltenham and thankfully it didn't leave a huge mark on him which it could have with the effort he put in. 'He got me out of trouble at the last, there's no lying about it. He's all class."
BBC News
29-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Marine Nationale wins Punchestown Champion Chase
Marine Nationale got the better of Fact To File to win a thrilling Champion Chase on the first day of the Punchestown victory in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham last month, Fact To File was the 11-10 favourite but struggled with the early the hyped head-to-head between the two Cheltenham winners, it was El Fabiolo who had provided Marine Nationale with the greatest challenge only to fall at the penultimate Sean Flanagan rode the 2-1 second favourite to a seven-length victory over Captain Guinness (28-1) under Rachel (11-1) was third with Fact To File the last of the four finishers. Grade One successes for Mullins Trainer Willie Mullins enjoyed a pair of shock victories in the day's other Grade One the Champion Novice Hurdle, 18-1 shot Irancy headed up a one-two-three-four for winner Kopek Des Bordes had been the heavy favourite in the race but finished fourth, with Irancy winning by nine lengths ahead of stablemates Salvator Mundi and Karbau."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," Mullins told RTE. "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."Mullins, having trained five of the eight riders, also enjoyed a one-two in the Champion Novice Kiely (22-1) took the lead at the penultimate fence before winning by six and a half lengths from 11-8 favourite Wednesday, Galopin Des Champs will be the main attraction as he aims for a first Punchestown Gold Cup.
Irish Independent
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Marine Nationale backs up Cheltenham win with Champion Chase victory at Punchestown
Fresh from a wide-margin success in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at last month's Festival, Barry Connell's stable star was the 2-1 second-favourite to come out on top in a fascinating clash with the brilliant Ryanair Chase winner Fact To File (11-10). While the latter looked to be struggling to keep up with the strong pace being set by Solness from an early stage back over an extended two miles, Marine Nationale travelled strongly throughout under Sean Flanagan, although the race did look in the balance until El Fabiolo suffered his third fall in his last four starts two fences from home. Marine Nationale was in full command from that point and quickened up smartly from the final obstacle to pull seven lengths clear of Captain Guinness, with Solness third and Fact To File a bitterly disappointing last of four finishers. Of the winner, Connell said: "We missed a lot of our novice season last year so it was a slow build. I felt the horse improved with every run and had improved again from Cheltenham and we were proved right. "He won doing a half-speed and I think this horse has all the attributes to be a multiple Champion Chase winner going forward. "Our target is to win three and equal Badsworth Boy, who is the only horse in history to win three Champion Chases, despite all of the storied horses over the years. "He's only eight and that's his 12th run - he has no mileage on the clock, and he grows an extra leg in Cheltenham." The trainer added: "He's so laidback, goes through the gears and just does enough. He doesn't burn any extra petrol than what he needs. "He's the most wonderful creature and everybody in the yard has had a huge part to play in this. Garrett (Cotter) rides him every day, Mandy looks after him - it's just a great success for Kildare as there are not too many National Hunt horses trained in Kildare anymore. "We only have 13 or 14 horses riding out and we are able to punch at the highest level if we get the ammunition. "This is the horse of a lifetime and we are going to mind him and you'll see him back in Cheltenham next year - and he won't be 10-1 like he was this morning!" Paddy Power cut Marine Nationale's odds to retain his Queen Mother Champion Chase crown to 4-1 from 8-1. Champ Kiely upset his better fancied stablemate Ballyburn to claim top honours in a dramatic renewal of the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase. 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. 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." 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." Kopek Des Bordes' surrendered his unbeaten record as stablemate Irancy led home a one-two-three-four for Willie Mullins in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown. Kopek Des Bordes looked a star in the making after following up successive victories Leopardstown with an odds-on success in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham last month and he was a 30-100 market leader to round off a perfect season with another win in County Kildare. However, a couple of sketchy leaps during the early stages set the tone for a disappointing display and he was a spent force turning for home. Having been ridden more conservatively, 18-1 shot Irancy arrived on the scene travelling strongly under Mark Walsh and powered clear from the final flight to score by nine lengths, with the front-running Salvator Mundi boxing on to beat Karbau to third and Kopek Des Bordes a well-beaten fourth. Mullins said: "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." British raider Ascending Lark finished with a flourish to extend her unbeaten record over obstacles to six in the Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle at Punchestown. Placed in two of her three bumper starts in Ireland before switching stables, the seven-year-old made a winning debut for Harry Derham at Haydock in March of last year and has not looked back, adding further victories at Huntingdon, Newcastle, Exeter and Ludlow. She faced a far sterner test at Listed level in County Kildare and was priced up accordingly at 8-1, but powered home under a well-judged ride from Paul O'Brien to get up and beat Jonjo O'Neill's Wilful by three-quarters of a length. Derham said: "There is not many that win six, never mind six in a row! We didn't plan on being that far back but she's a good horse. He said he was going to ride her to come home and come home she has. "Will (Watt) gave John (Lalor) half of her as a wedding present, so it was quite the gift! "A couple of times last year I was on the verge of retiring her. I couldn't get her right and she didn't run to her mark, but her owners were very patient and thank God they were as she's some mare." Ascending Lark was a second British-trained winner on the card, with 50-1 shot Buy Some Time having earlier got the raiding party off the mark with a surprise victory in the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final Handicap Hurdle for the Scottish father-and-son team of Mike and Ben Smith. Mike Smith said: "Is there anything better than a day like today at the Punchestown Festival and your son winning like that? It doesn't come any better than that." Transprint (22-1) saw off his better fancied stablemate Turnupdevolume to give trainer Richie O'Keeffe a one-two in the Kildare Hunt Club Cross Country Chase for the Ladies Perpetual Cup. Followers of Irish Independent racing tipster Michael Verney had a profitable opening day of the Punchestown Festival with Ascending Lark (8/1), Bud Fox (16/5) and Stellar Story (e/w at 14/1) all rewarding punters.
Irish Daily Mirror
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Marine Nationale completes Champion Chase double at Punchestown
Marine Nationale followed up his Cheltenham triumph with a stunning win in the William Hill Champion Chase at Punchestown. Fresh off a commanding victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at last month's Festival, Barry Connell's star horse was the 2-1 second favourite to emerge victorious in an intriguing face-off with the exceptional Ryanair Chase winner Fact To File (11-10). While the latter seemed to struggle to keep pace with the swift tempo set by Solness from early on over an extended two miles, Marine Nationale maintained a strong performance throughout under Sean Flanagan. However, the race appeared uncertain until El Fabiolo experienced his third fall in his last four starts just two fences from the finish line Marine Nationale was in full command from that point and quickened up smartly from the final obstacle to pull seven lengths clear of Captain Guinness, with Solness third and Fact To File a bitterly disappointing last of four finishers.
