Latest news with #Fairyhouse
Irish Examiner
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Punchestown predictably unpredictable but Willie Mullins still in ascendancy
It's Punchestown, it's end-of-season, it's expectedly unpredictable, and the opening day of the 2025 meeting was certainly all of that, as the track welcomed 17,842 patrons. A 22-1 winner was followed by one at 50-1, then there was a little levity when an 8-1 shot prevailed, before two of the three Grade Ones returned huge upsets at odds of 18-1 and 22-1. What was much more predictable was that, despite those odds, Willie Mullins was in the ascendancy, winning two Grade Ones, and adding the valuable Goffs Defender Bumper to complete a 7,428-1 treble. The KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle was the first Grade One of the meeting, and 18-1 shot Irancy continued on his upward trajectory courtesy of a patient ride by Mark Walsh. Salvator Mundi went off quickly, with the short-priced, leftward-tending and poor-jumping Kopek Des Bordes his nearest pursuer for much of the trip. At one point they must have had 20 lengths and more to spare over the other quartet. As those early exertions began to tell on the first two, a couple of the other runners closed in, and it was Irancy, a winner at Fairyhouse's Easter festival, who moved best of all. Walsh allowed him to ease to the front coming off the last bend, and when he asked for more at the back of the last, he stretched away to win by a wide margin from the game Salvator Mundi. Karbau took third ahead of an eased-up Kopek Des Bordes, who completed a Mullins 1-2-3-4 in a race which he has farmed, having won seven of the last eight, and nine of the last 11 runnings of the race. '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,' said Mullins. '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.' Mullins saddled five of the eight runners in the Grade One Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase and while two of the quintet fell and another was brought down, he was still responsible for the first two home. Ballyburn looked to have been gifted every opportunity as the field became depleted, but Danny Mullins spoiled the party as he brought 22-1 chance Champ Kiely through to lead after two out before pushing him clear for a facile success. 'Unbelievable,' said Danny Mullins. 'I'm just so lucky to be part of the team in Willie's. I'm just blessed to be on the team and get to ride some of the good ones on these days. 'This horse never really attacked when the loose horse upset him in Fairyhouse last week but, in fairness to Willie, he wasn't afraid to come back here. He knew the variable was stepping up five furlongs in trip and there was every chance he'd go and do that. 'I knew Paul was the horse to beat. The Gigginstown one was going to play a part, but we got the better of him off the bend and, yeah, he is a good horse to put it to bed nicely.' Mullins saddled four in the Goffs Defender Bumper and, in keeping with the theme of the day, it was the outsider of the quartet, the Ruth Duffield-ridden Wonderful Everyday, who fared best, seeing off the promising Green Hint. The Kildare Hunt Club Cross-Country Chase for the Ladies' Perpetual Cup is part of the tradition of this festival and this year's renewal provided a memorable moment for Richie O'Keeffe, who saddled the first two home. Victory went to Transprint, who gave jockey Tony Doyle his first winner on the track. Fifty-to-one chance Buy Some Time upset the gamble on fellow British raider Almuhit in the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final Handicap Hurdle. There were five runners within a length as they raced over the last, but it was Scottish raider Buy Some Time, ridden by Ben Smith and trained by his father, Mike, who quickened up best to land the spoils. Said the winning trainer: 'They all tell you that you can't beat the Irish and Willie comes over and beats us all, but it doesn't always happen that way. You have to be brave to take the risk and throw the darts!' There was further British success when the Harry Derham-trained Ascending Lark took the listed Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle, but there was some Cork success as the winning rider, Paul O'Brien, hails from Mitchelstown. The winner has been on a remarkable run since joining Derham early in 2024. From Haydock to Huntingdon, and Newcastle, Exeter and Ludlow, she came here unbeaten in five runs for the yard and benefited from a beautifully judged ride by O'Brien to extend that run to six. Derek O'Connor trained Bud Fox when he won a point to point, and he was in the saddle when the horse made a winning track debut in the Willie Coonan Memorial Bumper. Now trained by Gavin Cromwell, the son of Walk In The Park and Flaviana was in prime position throughout and justified considerable market confidence by quickening up late on to readily put the day's finale to bed.
Irish Examiner
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Dont Tell Jack can thrive for step up in trip at Fairyhouse
Saturday's Fairyhouse meeting, which was lost to the weather, takes place on Tuesday afternoon and the nap goes to Dont Tell Jack, who can get off the mark over timber by taking the listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Handicap Hurdle Series Final. Touched off on his only outing in a point-to-point, he finished fourth in a Navan maiden hurdle on his first inside the rails, and had very little go his way when seventh behind subsequent Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Kopek Des Bordes at the Christmas meeting in Leopardstown. Third behind Ethical Diamond next time, he made his handicap debut last out at Naas and ran well enough to finish sixth behind Jump Allen. With that experience under his belt, and the step up to almost three miles sure to suit, the five-year-old can land the spoils for Joseph O'Brien and Mark Walsh and continue the fine Easter weekend for owner JP McManus. Recent Tramore winner Fairyland Opera is worthy of respect, and with Willie Mullins taking all before him, Fishery Lane must be considered, even though he was pulled up in the Albert Bartlett when last seen. Although the ground may be more testing than ideal for Kalix Delabarriere, he can continue his slow ascent up the grading ladder by taking the listed RYBO Handicap Hurdle. Impressive when winning a Ballinrobe bumper on his only start of last season, Willie Mullins' horse was disappointing on his hurdling debut, in a Leopardstown maiden won by Kaid d'Authie, and was no match for Ballybow on his second outing over obstacles. Third time up, however, he made a successful step forward, taking a Naas maiden from which there have already been three subsequent maiden hurdle winners. While he didn't do much in a hurry that day, this five-year-old work-in-progress remains full of potential and his initial mark of 125 makes him extremely appealing despite the competitive nature of this race. The top of the market should dominate the listed Boylesports Mares' Handicap Chase, and Zenta is just preferred to Majestic Force. While the mares' beginners' chase she won at Fairyhouse didn't look the strongest of contests, she posted an impressive performance and looks just the type to progress. Her mark of 140 looks manageable and she can prove that little bit too good for Majestic Force.
The Sun
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Irish Grand National 2025 LIVE RESULTS: Templegate's 1-2-3-4 tip as Haiti Couleurs races home to win the Fairyhouse race
THE Irish Grand National is here as punters cap off their Easter weekend with the Fairyhouse showpiece. Willie Mullins had saddled two winners in the English and Scottish editions of the National in recent weeks, but could not make it a famous hat-trick as Quai De Bourbon was pipped by winner Haiti Couleurs and second-best Any Second Now. Trainer Ted Walsh confirmed the retirement of 13-year-old Any Second Now following his performance in today's Irish Grand National.
Irish Daily Mirror
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Who won the Irish National? The full result as Welsh raider wins the big race
The 2025 BoyleSports Grand National went the way of Haiti Couleurs for Welsh trainer Rebecca Curtis. The three mile and five furlong handicap chase is the richest race in Irish national hunt racing and has been won by many famous horses including Desert Orchid, Bobbyjo and I Am Maximus. This year 30 horses went to the post, and Haiti Couleurs got revved up at the start and was sweating quite badly. But the gelding set off in the lead in the hands of Sean Bowen and jumped and travelled brilliantly. The eye was drawn throughout the race to Ted Walsh's 13-year-old chaser Any Second Now, who also travelled sweetly for Mark Walsh. Any Second Now was, as always, brave as a lion, but he could not get past Haiti Couleurs. Quai De Bourbon, a gamble before the race, ran very well to finish third despite some bad jumps throughout, while Dunboyne ran an excellent race in fourth for local connections. Result 5.00 Fairyhouse 1st: Haiti Couleurs 13/2 2nd: Any Second Now 17/2 3rd: Quai De Bourbon 11/2f 4th: Dunboyne 22/1 5th: Johnnywho 9/1 6th: Better Days Ahead 16/1 7th: Shecouldbeanything 33/1 8th: Another Choice 50/1
Irish Daily Mirror
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Which horses is Willie Mullins running in the 2025 Irish Grand National?
Willie Mullins runs horses in this year's BoyleSports Irish Grand National as he seeks to win the race for the third time. The Carlow handler had to wait a long time to taste victory in the Fairyhouse race. Burrows Saint, steered by Ruby Walsh, obliged in 2019 to the delight of favourite backers. And he only had to wait four years for his next victory. In 2023, I Am Maximus was an impressive winner before going on to win the Aintree Grand National the following year. This time around, Mullins, who is also chasing the UK trainers' championship, has a relatively small squad for the race. His team is headlined by Quai De Bourbon, who will be ridden by his number one stable jockey Paul Townend. Quai De Bourbon has not completed the course on his last two starts - falling and unseating - but looks like a classy sort that could develop into a Grade 1 chaser. Mullins also runs the JP McManus-owned Sa Majeste, who was last seen running a cracker to finish third in the Kim Muir Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Sa Majeste will be the ride of Simon Torrens in the big race.
