Latest news with #LadbrokesChampionStayersHurdle
Irish Times
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Teahupoo successfully defends his Stayers Hurdle title at Punchestown
It was a case of deja vu all over again at Punchestown on Thursday when Teahupoo beat Asterion Forlonge to lift the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle. It proved to be the same one-two in the €300,000 highlight as last year with Gordon Elliott's 5-4 favourite once more proving a decisive winner from his grey rival. It was a first winner of the week for Elliott, and it completed the set of festival Grade One Stayers prizes for owner Brian Acheson. Bob Olinger proved too strong for Teahupoo at Cheltenham in the Stayers Hurdle while Hiddenvalley Lake took the honours at Aintree for Acheson's Robcour operation in the same division. READ MORE If last season was spotless for Teahupoo, this was a deserved first top-flight prize of the current campaign for Teahupoo. Filling in for the injured Jack Kennedy, Sam Ewing always looked comfortable through a race in which Rocky's Diamond cut out much of the running. Much of the field were still in contention two out but Teahupoo's quality came to the fore when it counted. 'I travelled deadly everywhere, jumped deadly and just got out at the right time and I knew he'd stay at it,' Ewing said. 'He's just a great stayer and brilliant to win on him. He's probably unlucky to be beaten twice this year but he's really stamping his authority as a top stayer.' Having once again filled the thankless role of finishing runner up to Willie Mullins in the trainer's championship, it was nevertheless an eighth Grade One victory of the current campaign for Elliott. He has had 157 winners overall in Ireland but struck only once at Cheltenham. JJ Slevin on Cottesloe Sunshine wins The Close Brothers Irish EBF Mares Novice Hurdle. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho 'I was dreaming last night if Teahupoo could win today, and Meath could win the Leinster Final, it would finish off what has been a rough season to be a great season!' Elliott commented. 'This horse has got me out of trouble a few times and he's done it again. He's a star of a horse.' Mullins reached 200 domestic winners this season in Thursday's other Grade One, the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase, when Majborough atoned for his Arkle defeat at Cheltenham by landing cramped 4-11 odds. Despite ultimately winning with authority by 14 lengths from Only By Night, Majborough again gave an impression of being a work in progress. If jumping blunders left him down at Cheltenham, this time he persistently jumped to his left. 'He has some engine. He always jumps a little bit left but it's the first time he's went that badly left going right-handed,' jockey Mark Walsh admitted. 'If you could just iron them out he has some ability, some engine.' Mullins's initial reaction was to point towards next season's Queen Mother Champion Chase with the former Triumph Hurdle winner. 'He goes a bit to his left but that's his quirk. I won't mind that, and he measures his fences and didn't make any real mistakes today. 'Mark wasn't hard on him over the last two, I thought just getting from A to B and he did that all right. Considering his age and how much he can mature over the next few years, he could be a real, top-class chaser in time. He's got such a stride and when he's long at a fence he can just take it in his stride, to me that's a huge asset; he has huge scope,' Mullins said. Earlier, Grade One-winning jockey Jody McGarvey almost had a fairy-tale finish to his career only for the well-backed Mirazur West to fade to third behind another JP McManus owned hope, Petit Tonnerre, in the Listed handicap chase. The Co Derry rider, 34, announced his retirement immediately afterwards following a career that produced 173 winners. The tally includes four Grade One successes beginning with Great Field at the 2017 Punchestown festival. McGarvey also landed the 2023 Drinmore on I Am Maximus and there was a top-flight double on the same day at Fairyhouse in 2021 through Janidil and Skyace. Cousins Joseph O'Brien and JJ Slevin combined for a double through Busselton in the La Touche and the 33/1 shot Cottesloe Sunshine in the Mares Hurdle. Slevin matched his father Shay who trained the 2017 La Touche winner Treo Eile. 'I've been watching these races for as long as I can remember and it's special to win it,' the rider said. Petit Tonnerre was the first of three cross-channel winners on the card. James Bowen warmed up for his date with Constitution Hill in Friday's feature by landing the Listed handicap hurdle on Jeriko Du Reponet. Bowen's brother, Sean, took the opener on Tony Martin's Putapoundinthejar. The horse was the last winner ridden by the late Michael O'Sullivan at Down Royal in January. The British notched a one-two in the concluding bumper. El Cairos threw away his chance by hanging badly left in the closing stages, opening the door for Alan King's Baron Noir to score. Thursday's official attendance of 20,228 was up almost 2,000 on last year's figure of 18,289.
Daily Mirror
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Paddy Power offer: Bet £5 on day three at Punchestown and get £30 in free bets
Paddy Power is offering new customers £30 in free bets when they sign up and place a £5 bet on day three at Punchestown Festival Paddy Power is getting in on the action at Punchestownan day three at the Irish racecourse with plenty of action at every horse racing's fans disposal including a £30 free bet offer when new customers spend £5 on the main event today. The Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle at 6pm is shaping up to be an exciting stage for Teahupoo to bounce back to victory, following his second-place finish to Bob Olinger at Cheltenham. Teahupoo's performance this season has been commendable, despite not always coming out on top. He was outperformed by Lossiemouth in the Hatton's Grace and then encountered the formidable Bob Olinger, who has since taken a break from the field, at Cheltenham. Teahupoo is no stranger to this race, having claimed victory last year. With Gordon Elliott's guidance and Sam Ewing in the saddle, I'm confident he'll put up a tough challenge. Robcour's other contender, Hiddenvalley Lake, made quite the impression with his win at Aintree last month. It seems likely that the main contest will be between him and Teahupoo. However, I predict Teahupoo will have the upper hand in this duel. In honour of this prestigious event, Paddy Power is rolling out an enticing offer as any newcomer who signs up and places a £5 wager on the Gold Cup today will receive a generous £30 in free bets. How to claim the Paddy Power Offer for Day 3 at Punchestown It could not be simpler claiming the Paddy Power offer ahead of the action on day three at Punchestown: Step 1: Use the links on this page to sign up for your new Paddy Power account to activate your offer. Step 2: During registration, enter the personal details requested such as your name, address, email, phone number and more. Step 3: In the promo code box, enter YHRCHO to redeem the bonus. Step 4: Deposit a minimum of £5 into your Paddy Power wallet using bank cards only - remember other methods including Apple Pay, Skrill, Paysafe, PayPal, and Neteller won't qualify. Step 5: Place a min £5 bet on any day three race of the Punchestown Festival on Thursday (May 1). 18+ | Terms and conditions apply | | Gamble responsibly | Odds subject to change Terms and conditions Here are the key terms and conditions from Paddy Power: here Gamble responsibly Reach plc is committed to promoting safer gambling. All of our content and recommended bets are advised to those aged 18 or over. Odds are subject to change too. We strongly encourage our readers to only ever bet what they can afford to lose. For more information, please call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or visit
RTÉ News
30-04-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Clockwise track could see Stayers go like clockwork for Crambo
Crambo bids to end a topsy-turvy season on a high in the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown on Thursday. In an almost mirror image of last term, Fergal O'Brien's charge came out on top in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot in December before losing his way in the new year, this time disappointing in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham before falling in the Stayers' Hurdle at the Festival in March. However, he is six from six on right-handed tracks and with cheekpieces applied for the first time, O'Brien is hoping Crambo can show his true colours on his Irish debut. "He cantered in Punchestown this (Wednesday) morning and he's well, so fingers crossed," said the Ravenswell Farm handler. "We definitely need the rub of the green, which he hasn't had on his last two runs, and we're putting some cheekpieces on him to try to help his jumping. "He's beaten the second-favourite (Hiddenvalley Lake), who won in Liverpool, so if he turns up in that sort of form, I think he'll be there or thereabouts. "It's beautiful ground – they've done a brilliant job considering the weather. There's an amazing covering of grass and the place looks stunning, so we're really looking forward to him running." Hot favourite is Gordon Elliott's Teahupoo, who landed this Grade One prize 12 months ago and finished second to fellow Robcour-owned gelding Bob Olinger when bidding for back-to-back Stayers' Hurdle wins at Cheltenham. The Henry de Bromhead-trained Hiddenvalley Lake, who also carries the Robcour colours, was beaten a head by Crambo in the Long Walk and was last seen landing the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree. Rocky's Diamond has enjoyed an excellent campaign for Declan Queally, winning the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park before finishing fourth in the Stayers' Hurdle. However, Queally admitted to having concerns ahead of his final outing of the season, saying: "He came back from Cheltenham very tired, so we had to give him a good two weeks in the field to recharge and he might not be quite as ready as he was for Cheltenham. "I'm happy we've got plenty of work into him, we're pretty hopeful he's in good order and I think a big run is on the cards, but you're always worried about a total no-show at this time of the year. "There is a risk of that, but we've got nothing to lose really, I've been happy with his four bits of work over the last fortnight and I think he's 95% ready, so we'll just proceed forward and hope he runs well. "He'll be going out in the field next week and it's been a great season – win, lose or draw."
Daily Mail
25-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Stable boy at the centre of betting controversy to receive winnings on 'one-in-a-million' wager as bookmakers FINALLY agree to payout
The stable lad at the heart of betting controversy is now €100,000 richer after Ladbrokes took the decision to settle his life-changing wager. Dylan Phelan, a 25-year-old who works for Waterford-based trainer Declan Queally, had placed a sequence of bets on April 19, 2024 on two horses called Diamond Nora and Rocky's Diamond from Queally's yard. Phelan placed wagers with Bar One Racing and Paddy Power, having taken respective odds of 125/1 and 80/1, but saved his biggest investment for Ladbrokes, with whom he had a €30 each-way double. Rocky's Diamond eventually returned a 22/1 winner of a maiden hurdle at Limerick, while Diamond Nora scooted clear in a mares' maiden hurdle at Ballinrobe at 16/1. It meant that Phelan stood to potentially pocket a staggering €319,440 (£272,694). Ladbrokes terms and conditions for cash bets placed in shops with a maximum payout of €100,000. But the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) had been alerted to concerns about the results as both Rocky's Diamond and Diamond Nora left their previous form – neither of them had won a race prior to that afternoon – miles behind. As a result, Ladbrokes withheld paying out on the bet until the investigation had been completed. The results of the investigation are still to be discovered and it prompted Phelan this week to take to social media and explain his situation. He said in a video posted to YouTube that his mental health had been affected by the delay. Ladbrokes representatives had told Mail Sport on Wednesday that they were prepared to honour the bet once the findings had been revealed but, after discussions, the firm have now taken the decision to pay even though the investigation hasn't been completed. In a statement shared with Mail Sport, the company said: 'We have now discussed this matter with Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) in order to seek a resolution as quickly as possible. 'Although the IHRB is unable to provide details of the investigation, or its likely duration, we are satisfied that it is appropriate to proceed with payment of the relevant bets in accordance with our terms and conditions.' Rocky's Diamond has gone on to prove himself to be a smart performer and run in Graded races, finishing fourth to Bob Olinger at Cheltenham last month. In a ironic twist, he is entered in the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown next week.
