Latest news with #SupremeNovices'Hurdle
Sunday World
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Brother and cousin of tragic jockey Michael O'Sullivan to run half marathon in his memory
The 24-year-old Cork man had been riding the Gerard O'Leary-trained Wee Charlie in a two-mile handicap chase when he suffered a fall at Thurles Racecourse in Co Tipperary on February 6 The younger brother of tragic jockey Michael O'Sullivan and his cousin are to run a half marathon next month in his memory. The 24-year-old Cork man had been riding the Gerard O'Leary-trained Wee Charlie in a two-mile handicap chase when he suffered a fall at Thurles Racecourse in Co Tipperary on February 6. Michael was severely injured in the fall and was rushed to hospital, where he was placed in an induced coma. Michael remained in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Cork University Hospital (CUH) where he died in the early hours of Sunday, February 16, just days before his 25th birthday. His brother Alan who is also a jockey, and cousin David will be running the Cork City Half Marathon, which takes place on June 1 this year, as part of a fundraiser launched in Michael's memory. Cork jockey Michael O'Sullivan News in 90 Seconds - May 9th All funds raised will go to charity Brú Columbanus, who offer free accommodation to families of patients in hospitals in Cork. The iDonate page for the fundraiser that has raised almost €30,000 raised so far, states that when Michael was in ICU in CUH, 'Brú Columbanus became a haven for the O'Sullivan family'. 'It gave them precious time together — moments that can never be replaced. 'It provided a calm, compassionate space where they could be close to Michael, supporting him and each other during those critical days,' the page reads. It adds that Alan and David O'Sullivan are taking on the Cork City Half Marathon to raise vital funds for Brú Columbanis, 'a charity close to their hearts'. 'This run is in honour of their beloved brother and cousin, jockey Michael O'Sullivan, and in deep appreciation for the care and support their family received during a time of unimaginable difficulty,' the fundraiser states. The charity, which offers free accommodations, survives solely on donations. 'That's why Alan and David are lacing up their runners — to give back and help ensure other families facing crisis can find the same comfort and support,' the fundraiser adds. In March, several members of O'Sullivan's family flew to England to attend a prestigious race in honour of the young sportsman at the Cheltenham Festival. Back in 2023 Michael O'Sullivan had his first winners at the Cheltenham Festival, including the Supreme Novices' Hurdle win on Marine Nationale, just months after turning professional. That race has now been renamed in honour of the tragic jockey. Leading figures from the world of horseracing joined hundreds of mourners at Michael's funeral the previous month. Trainer Willie Mullins, his son Patrick Mullins, and former jockey Ruby Walsh were among those at the service at John the Baptist Church in Glantane, in County Cork. Father Gerard Coleman said the jockey lived life to the full in a requiem Mass, adding that he packed more into his 24 young years than most people do in two lifetimes. He said he had maturity beyond his years and had a 'tremendous understanding'. 'He understood his horses and that's why he was such a great rider. But he also understood people and that is why he made a lasting impression on everyone and won the hearts of the Irish people,' said Father Coleman. 'Everyone loved him. He was an incredibly talented and dedicated sportsman and will never be forgotten.' His coffin was brought to the church from his home in nearby Lombardstown and young members of the Duhallow Pony Club formed a guard of honour as the cortege passed by in pouring rain.
Irish Examiner
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Constitution Hill can bounce back to winning ways at Punchestown
The once imperious and seemingly unbeatable Constitution Hill blotted his copybook on his last two outings, but he can bounce back in the Grade One Boodles Champion Hurdle, the feature of Friday's card in Punchestown. The former Champion Hurdler may still be unbeaten in completed starts inside the rails, but he has enjoyed little luck over the course of the last two seasons. When winning the 2022 Supreme Novices' Hurdle, he had the jumping world at his feet, and success in the 2023 Champion Hurdle was confirmation of same. However, things have been on a downward spiral since, and after missing the 2024 Champion Hurdle, he went into this year's renewal on a retrieval mission, only to fall four from home. Looking for compensation at Aintree, the same fate befell him, and he comes here on the verge of completing an ignominious treble. Surely that won't happen, and we will get to see the real Constitution Hill. At his best, he is an electric jumper of hurdles, not unlike the great Istabraq and Moscow Flyer, both of which were superb jumpers but, also due to their exuberance, prone to take a tumble. Just to complicate matters, Constitution Hill has had wind issues, but this track and ground should help him run to his best, and he can prove too sprightly for the 2023 Champion Hurdler, State Man, who was five lengths clear when falling at the last flight in his defence of that title. He, too, has had his issues and consequent doubters, but he was in fine form at Cheltenham and if that fall hasn't dented his confidence, we are in for a special race. Add in Golden Ace, who was on hand to take advantage of State Man's departure in the Champion Hurdle. A year earlier, she accounted for Brighterdaysahead in the Mares' Novice, and there is certainly the danger she is being underestimated. While State Man was five clear at the time of his fall, she was finishing fast and who knows how close she may have finished. She is not a bit-part player despite her lowly rating of 152 suggesting so. If The Yellow Clay turns up here in the same form as he did at Cheltenham, he will get straight back to winning ways in the Grade One Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle. Gordon Elliott's horse went to Cheltenham on the back of four straight wins over hurdles, and a late plunge pushed him into 5-2 for the Turners Novices' Hurdle. That confidence was almost rewarded but, in a pulsating finish, he was touched off by the unbeaten The New Lion. That huge effort came off a two-month absence and if he is in the same form this afternoon, it will take a huge performance to lower his colours. The one most likely to challenge him in the market and on the track is Final Demand, who finished a place behind him at Cheltenham. Sent off favourite that day, Willie Mullins' six-year-old was unable to match the front pair in the closing stages. A slightly shorter trip and quicker ground don't seem like the ideal conditions to bring out the best in him, but he is trained by a man who is dominating the meeting, so it would be folly to dismiss him. At bigger prices, Mr Percy and Queensbury Boy make most each-way appeal. The former won a Grade Two last time out, at Fairyhouse, and given how well the runner-up, Fleur In The Park, ran in the Grade One three-mile novice hurdle here on Wednesday, a good run would be no surprise. Joseph O'Brien enjoyed a double on Thursday and Naturally Nimble can earn him another winner's enclosure trip. The four-year-old contests the Uniquely Novice Hurdle and is potentially a class above his rivals. A useful sort on the Flat, he was disappointing on his first start over hurdles but won a Grade Three on his second outing. He was far from disgraced when fourth to Hello Neighbour on his next start but fell when contesting a Grade One at the Aintree festival. This race represents a huge drop in grade and if he can put in a decent round of jumping, on ground he should appreciate, he will take a great deal of beating. The most interesting of his rivals is the Nicky Henderson-trained Khrisma, who has plenty of form in France and made a promising start to life at Seven Barrows when third behind Jubilee Alpha. Twice a winner in bumpers, that was his first start in almost 14 months, and he has had more than three months off since that effort. A positive market move would make him very interesting.
The 42
29-04-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Irancy shocks Kopek Des Bordes for more Willie Mullins glory at Punchestown
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. Advertisement 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. Mark Walsh and Irancy hand the Champion Trainer @WillieMullinsNH another winner at the top level, this time in the Grade 1 @KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle - his gelding flying home after travelling sweetly just off the pace 👏 — Punchestown (@punchestownrace) April 29, 2025 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.'
RTÉ News
29-04-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Irancy foils Kopek Des Bordes for shock Punchestown win
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 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. Irancy shocks Cheltenham winner and KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle favourite Kopek Des Bordes to win at Punchestown. #rteracing 📺 Watch: @rte2 & @rteplayer 📱 Results: — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 29, 2025 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. Willie Mullins trained four of six in the feature and offers his thoughts on how things went as Irancy beat the favourites. #rteracing 📺 Watch: @rte2 & @rteplayer 📱 Results: — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 29, 2025 "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." Mark Walsh speaks to RTE Sport after upsetting the odds at Punchestown, guiding Irancy to victory. #rteracing 📺 Watch: @rte2 & @rteplayer 📱 Results: — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 29, 2025 Watch the Punchestown Festival from Tuesday to Saturday with RTÉ Sport. Coverage begins at 3.30pm for first three days and on Friday at 4pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Watch on Saturday from 3pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.
Irish Examiner
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Fact To File can make class tell on day one at Punchestown
The Grade One William Hill Champion Chase is a fine feature on the opening day of the 2025 Punchestown festival as the six-strong field includes the current Champion Chaser, a former champion, and the Ryanair Chase winner from this year's Cheltenham Festival. Fact To File, who was long considered a Gold Cup contender for this season, never got as far as racing's Blue Riband, but he was imperious in the Ryanair, trouncing his rivals by nine lengths and more. This is another test of the eight-year-old, as he drops to two miles for the first time since finishing runner-up in the Champion Bumper at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, but he can come through with flying colours. Going a stride or two faster over this trip should bring further improvement in his jumping, and this all-class eight-year-old son of Poliglote can come out on top. Champion Chaser and former Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Marine Nationale is at home over this trip and that will sway many punters in his favour. He was behind Solness on a couple of occasions this season but reversed the form at Cheltenham. That race was still up for grabs until Quilixios fell at the last, a departure which left Marine Nationale to come home clear of the remainder. That was a career-best over fences but if Fact To File takes to the discipline of two-mile chasing, he will provide an even stiffer task. Kopek Des Bordes is likely to be the shortest-priced runner on the card and there is no solid reason to oppose him in the Grade One KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle. Sent off a 15-8 chance when winning on his only start in a bumper, he was odds-on to make a winning debut over hurdles at Christmas and duly obliged. Odds-on once again for a Grade One at the Dublin Racing Festival, he came home virtually alone and then obliged at 4-6 when getting the better of Wiliam Munny in a late battle for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. With just three runs thus far this season, he hasn't been over-raced, and in the expectation that he will at least run to his level, there ought to be just one result. Stablemate Salvator Mundi has long been talked about as a horse of serious ability and he put it all together last time out, at Aintree, when winning a Grade One with real swagger. Whether that was end-of-season form or a true sign that he has turned a corner is difficult to ascertain, but he must certainly be respected. The Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Hurdle is the other Grade One on the card, and Ballyburn reads as the most likely winner, even though he has something to prove and, understandably, won't make universal appeal. He was below his best when fifth in the Brown Advisory at the Cheltenham Festival, but a bad mistake cost him all chance and he didn't get the opportunity to show his true colours. Likely to be ridden much more positively this time, if he is back to his best, he will take a great deal of beating. Brown Advisory winner Lecky Watson is respected but there are a couple of much bigger priced horses worth an each-way interest. Former Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Slade Steel hasn't run since finishing second to Lecky Watson in a beginners' chase, but that can stand to him . Winner of his only outing in a point-to-point, he is untested over the trip inside the rails, but it can bring about the necessary improvement for him to play a role at this level. He has a hurdling verdict over Lecky Watson, over two and a half miles on heavy ground, and if conditions are not too quick for him, he will outrun his odds. Stellar Story was runner-up to Lecky Watson at Cheltenham, but a stronger pace and greater test of stamina could allow him to reverse that form. The listed Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle is deeply competitive and while it is difficult to make strong recommendations for a career maiden, there is little doubt that Irish Panther has the ability to go close. The lightly-raced eight-year-old has been in the first three on eight of his 10 outings to date and last time out, when posting his worst position, he ran much better than the 10th-place finish might suggest. Fast ground and a strong pace will play to his strengths, and he has strong each-way claims.
