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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.
Irish Times
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Punchestown: Teahupoo and Hiddenvalley Lake give Robcour strong hand in bid to seal Stayers' dominance
The Stayers division isn't most owners' dream category, but Brian Acheson's Robcour team will try to seal their dominance of it this season when Teahupoo defends his Ladbrokes Hurdle title at Punchestown on Thursday. Gordon Elliott 's star is joined in the €300,000 feature by another prime Robcour hope, Hiddenvalley Lake, all while the ownership's star turn this season, Bob Olinger, is at home enjoying the sunshine. Bob Olinger recorded an emotional success in the Cheltenham Stayers when beating Teahupoo for a memorable Robcour one-two. Neither was at Aintree last month where instead Hiddenvalley Lake stepped up to land the Grade One stamina test there. All of it is a notable display of ownership supremacy despite Teahupoo, the undisputed 2024 Stayers champion, not scoring at the top level this season. He's likely to start favourite to put that right at 6pm on Thursday. READ MORE If ground conditions were soft, Teahupoo would likely start an even shorter favourite. When defending his Cheltenham title he ran a perfectly honourable race only to fall prey to Bob Olinger's superior finishing kick. He won this race a year ago on quicker ground, although the surface does look to leave him a little more vulnerable. Robcour is named after Acheson's two children, Robert and Courtney, and Hiddenvalley Lake scored an initial success at the top level for them in Liverpool less than four weeks ago. That's his only start in over three months but it's still a relatively quick turnaround. At his best, Home By The Lee would shake them all up, but recent form figures are a worry. The cross-channel hope Crambo is another proven Grade One winner while Asterion Forlonge, runner-up for the last two years, is Willie Mullins 's number one hope. Rocky's Diamond and Jetara could both prefer easier going. It's 20 years since Carlys Quest was a big price 25-1 winner of this race. But at the end of a long season, and on quick spring ground conditions, there could be value in taking a punt on Mullins's other contender. Willie Mullins has won the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase for the last nine years and Majborough is likely to start a heavy favourite to bring up 'La Decima'. Photograph:Winter Fog has had a lucrative late career in picking up Grade One place prize money at two miles, including third in Cheltenham's incident-packed Champion Hurdle. He was originally campaigned as a stayer, though, and won on his last start at three miles a couple of years ago. Regular rider Brian Hayes may adopt his usual patient tactics on the veteran and come through to pick up some valuable pieces, maybe even up to the winning pot of €180,000. Mullins has won Thursday's other Grade One, the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase, for the last nine years and Majborough is likely to start a heavy favourite to bring up 'La Decima'. Majborough's jumping fell apart when the pressure came on in the Arkle at Cheltenham where Only By Night also filled the frame. The English pair Rubaud and Brookie look to have a task on their plate, but a clean round of jumping this time will probably have Majborough in front. Thursday's great spectacle is the Mongey La Touche marathon test over the famous banks. A field of 16 includes the 2023 winner Vital Island, although Vanillier is likely to be a popular choice. Ground conditions will be very different compared to when the grey scored here in February, where The Goffer was well behind him. The Goffer's fine Topham effort at Aintree last time suggests he may prove a very different proposition now. Vanillier's trainer Gavin Cromwell has a number of other good day three chances, none more so perhaps than The Other Mozzie. He lines up for the opening handicap hurdle off a topweight mark of 119. Considering The Other Mozzie won a good chase at Ayr on his last start off a mark of 138, he could prove a 'blot' here. Cromwell's Sixandahalf skipped a Grade One at Fairyhouse over Easter when the ground turned testing, but the Cheltenham runner-up gets better conditions for a Listed contest and looks the one to beat. JP McManus has four hopefuls for the three-mile handicap hurdle with Mark Walsh on board Park Of Kings. Aidan Kelly takes 5lbs off Win Some Lose Some who also skipped an Easter engagement due to the going.
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."
The Herald Scotland
30-04-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
O'Brien hoping all is set fair for big Crambo effort
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. Fergal O'Brien is hoping Crambo can bounce back to form in Ireland (John Walton/PA) '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 (Aintree), 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.' Teahupoo winning at Punchestown last season (Brian Lawless/PA) 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. The Grade 2 John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle goes the way of Declan Queally and Rocky's Diamond, who travelled sweetly throughout and manages to find extra in the tank under Shane Fitzgerald close home 🚀 — Gowran Park (@GowranPark1) January 23, 2025 '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 per cent 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.'
Leader Live
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
O'Brien hoping all is set fair for big Crambo effort
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 (Aintree), 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. The Grade 2 John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle goes the way of Declan Queally and Rocky's Diamond, who travelled sweetly throughout and manages to find extra in the tank under Shane Fitzgerald close home 🚀 — Gowran Park (@GowranPark1) January 23, 2025 '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 per cent 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.'
