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Irish Independent
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Punchestown Day 3: Majborough bounces back from Cheltenham disappointment by romping home to claim Novice chase
Last season's Triumph Hurdle hero had looked every inch a top-class chaser in the making after winning his first two starts over the larger obstacles, but a juddering error two fences from home ultimately led to him suffering a surprise reverse in the Arkle at Prestbury Park in mid-March. The Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old was sent off at 4-11 to reward those who kept the faith back on home soil and while he pulled his way to the front on the second circuit and raced keenly throughout under Mark Walsh, he stamped his class from the home turn, pulling 14 lengths clear of the Arkle runner-up Only By Night. Mullins, saddling his 200th winner of the season in Ireland, said "He jumped today like we know he can jump. For some reason things didn't go right for him in Cheltenham, but he's redeemed himself today. "He's a huge, big horse but he's very light framed and is an athlete every time you look at him. 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 hopefully he'll mature this summer. I'm looking forward to what he could mature into over the next 18 months or two years. "What he did there you are looking at the Champion Chase, but he has enough pedigree to stay a trip." Putapoundinthejar, with Sean Bowen up, jumps the last on their way to winning the Specialist Group Handicap Hurdle during day three of the Punchestown Festival. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile Earlier, Britain's newly-crowned champion jockey Sean Bowen was at his brilliant best as he steered Putapoundinthejar to victory in the opening race on day three of the Festival. Taking to the saddle for the first time sine celebrating his title triumph with a big-race success aboard Resplendent Grey in Saturday's bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown, the 27-year-old produced another power-packed ride on Tony Martin's 17-2 shot in the Specialist Group Handicap Hurdle. Battle Of Ridgeway (50-1) was clear of the chasing pack on the run to the final flight, but Bowen conjured a late charge out of Putapoundinthejar, who got up to score by half a length. Bowen, who since Saturday has enjoyed his stag party in Tenerife, said: 'He did well to win as he didn't jump well at all. He got into a rhythm from halfway and did well to pick up the leader. 'I had a good clear run down to the last. He winged the last and picked up well from the back of it. 'It's good ground and he enjoyed that. He will have learned loads today.' Sean's brother James Bowen got his name on the winner's board after Jeriko Du Reponet (13-2 joint-favourite) led home a one-two for Nicky Henderson in the Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle. Doddiethegreat beat Jeriko Du Reponet in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival and the Seven Barrows pair again came to the fore, but this time it was the latter who came out on top to give his rider a timely boost ahead of partnering Constitution Hill in Friday's Champion Hurdle. Henderson said: 'I felt sorry for one horse at Cheltenham and I now I feel sorry for the other one! There was no alternative route other than to come here and take each other on again. 'You've got to be delighted with both of them – two divisions would have helped! 'It all went wrong for Jeriko at the start of the season when he was meant to go chasing and we thought he was going to be the star. It all went wrong at Sandown on his first start, it was terrible and we had to come back over hurdles. 'The Pertemps became the objective, he didn't quite win that but he's got his consolation and we must go back over fences next year and get the job done properly.' There was further success for the raiding party in the Frontline Security Handicap Chase, with 16-1 shot Petit Tonnerre finishing with a flourish under Richie McLernon to strike gold for the father-son training partnership of Jonjo and AJ O'Neill. The latter said: 'We were hitting the crossbar earlier in the week but Richie gave that lad a really lovely ride, very patient, and it was lovely to see it coming off for all the team. 'JP (McManus, owner) is a massive supporter of the game and a massive supporter of ours, so it's amazing to have a winner on a day like today.' Joseph O'Brien and J J Slevin teamed up to land the Mongey Communications La Touche Cup Cross Country Chase with 7-1 shot Busselton. 'It's a special race, historic. It was really exciting for us as it was our first runner in it and even to have a horse for the banks this year was special,' said O'Brien. 'J J has done a great job schooling this horse and gave him a fantastic ride today. He's won under all codes and hopefully will win again.' O'Brien and Slevin completed a surprise double in the Close Brothers Irish EBF Mares Novice Hurdle, with Cottesloe Sunshine (33-1) beating the Cheltenham Festival runner-up and 8-13 favourite Sixandahalf into third place. O'Brien added: 'It was a great ride by J J and a very tough filly. She jumped well today and I'm delighted for Nick (Fahy, owner) and his family who are here today. 'We were coming here fresh and a lot of the competitors had been to all the Festivals over the last few months. I'd be lying if I said I expected her to win but we thought we might run well.'
Irish Daily Mirror
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Last horse the late Michael O'Sullivan won on wins at Punchestown
Britain's newly-crowned champion jockey Sean Bowen was at his brilliant best as he steered the last horse that the late Michael O'Sullivan won on, Putapoundinthejar, to victory in the opening race on day three of the Punchestown Festival. Michael O'Sullivan was seriously injured in a fall at Thurles on February 6th, and passed away 10 days later just five days before his 25th Birthday. The 24-year-old had been riding Wee Charlie for trainer Gerard O'Leary and was one of three fallers at the final fence on that day. The young jockey's passing sent shockwaves through the racing world, with poignant scenes at the likes of Cheltenham and Aintree as the Cork native was remembered. Three weeks before his death, O'Sullivan had ridden Putapoundinthejar to victory at Down Royal on January 21st. Today, 27-year-old Bowen saddled the Tony Martin trained star and produced another power-packed ride on the 17-2 shot in the Specialist Group Handicap Hurdle. Battle Of Ridgeway (50-1) was clear of the chasing pack on the run to the final flight, but Bowen conjured a late charge out of Putapoundinthejar, who got up to score by half a length. Bowen, who since Saturday has enjoyed his stag party in Tenerife, said: 'He did well to win as he didn't jump well at all. He got into a rhythm from halfway and did well to pick up the leader. 'I had a good clear run down to the last. He winged the last and picked up well from the back of it. 'It's good ground and he enjoyed that. He will have learned loads today.'
Irish Daily Mirror
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Punchestown Festival day 3 tips: Robbie Power's selections for Thursday
The Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle (6.00) looks a good opportunity for Teahupoo to return to winning ways after finishing second to Bob Olinger at Cheltenham. He has done nothing wrong all season. He found Lossiemouth too good in the Hatton's Grace before bumping into course specialist Bob Olinger, who is gone to the field on his holidays, at Cheltenham. Teahupoo won this race last year and I think he'll be very hard to beat under Sam Ewing for Gordon Elliott. Robcour's other runner Hiddenvalley Lake was very impressive when winning at Aintree earlier this month and it looks a match between him and Teahupoo, with the latter fancied to come out on top. He'll be fine on the ground. He won on this sort of ground before so I don't see it being an issue. Rocky's Diamond ran a very good race for Declan Queally and Shane Fitzgerald when fourth in the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham. He's only a five-year-old and is one open to further improvement in today's feature. Kap Ouest is an interesting runner in today's opening race, the Specialist Group Handicap Hurdle at 2.30, for Harry Fry, who has a good record with his runners at Punchestown, but The Other Mozzie is the one I like here for Gavin Cromwell and Keith Donoghue. He won over fences at Ayr on Scottish Grand National day off a mark of 138 and is 19 pounds lower over hurdles. It doesn't always add up, but it's hard to overlook him and the other one I like the look of is Janes Harbour for Joseph O'Brien and Aidan Kelly, who is towards the bottom of the weights, with the jockey claiming five pounds off him. With 23 runners, they'll go very hard in the Frontline Security Handicap Chase at 3.05. Tullyhill has been disappointing over fences and it's hard to fancy him, but I do like Jasko Des Dames for Henry de Bromhead and Darragh O'Keeffe. He'll love the drying ground, is only a six-year-old and ran a very good race in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham when fifth behind Jazzy Matty. He's a great each-way bet in this. Vanillier runs in the Mongey Communications La Touche Cup Cross Country Chase at 3.40 and was very impressive over the banks here back in February. With the master of the banks on his back, he'll be very hard to beat in today's third race for the Cromwell and Donoghue team. Custom Taylor is my fancy for the Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle at 4.15. He's snuck in here as bottom weight after being very game and very gutsy to win at Fairyhouse nine days ago. If that race hasn't left a mark, he should be very competitive here. It's very hard to look past Sixandahalf in the Close Brothers Irish EBF Mares Novice Hurdle after she was narrowly beaten by Air Of Entitlement at Cheltenham. This two-mile trip should really suit on this track and on ratings, she comes out well on top. In the first of today's Grade 1s, Barberstown Castle Novice Chase, Majborough looks set to go off a very short-priced favourite for Willie Mullins and Mark Walsh. Would I be backing him at 2/5? Probably not. His jumping cost him victory in the Arkle Chase at Cheltenham. He is by far the classiest of these horses and with a clear round of jumping he will win, with Only By Night expected to chase him home. And Ksar Fatal looks the pick of Willie's in the bumper at 6.35, with Patrick taking the ride. He should take all the beating after winning on his racecourse debut at Gowran Park back in March. Bet of the day - Sixandahalf - 4.50
