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Punchestown racecourse today (21st January 2020) made the major announcement that Ballymore have returned as title sponsors of the final day of Ireland’s most prestigious jump racing festival.

The Ballymore Festival Family day will take place on Saturday 2nd May 2020 and concludes not only the Punchestown Festival but the Irish jump racing season itself. The €100,000 Grade 1 Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle is the centre piece of a top quality seven race card.

The Ballymore Festival Family Day has rapidly become one of the best attended fixtures on the Irish racing calendar attracting a massive crowd of 37,206 at the 2019 event. As the name suggests, the focus of the day is on community, introducing families to Punchestown and opening the world of horse racing to children. A full programme of activities, games and entertainment will be on offer for families with a dedicated indoor Junior Jockey Fun Club available throughout the day.

Ballymore co-founders Sean and Bernardine  Mulryan have been long-time supporters of Punchestown. In fact, in 2008 when the Saturday was first integrated into the festival proper, Ballymore were an integral part of the initiative backing the title race of the day.  Following a hiatus from horse racing, the award winning international property group returned to the sponsorship ranks in 2017 when sponsoring the valuable Ballymore Handicap Hurdle before taking the opportunity to back the family day concept. The Mulryan’s return to horse racing has been a fortuitous one and could hardly have gone better when their own horse City Island trained by Martin Brassil landed the Ballymore Novices Hurdle at the 2019 Cheltenham Festival.

Sean Mulryan, Ballymore Chairman & CEO looks forward to Ballymore Festival Family Day saying  “The Punchestown Festival is a unique sporting experience and Punchestown itself is special for myself and my family. We have been involved for decades with Punchestown and the opportunity to return to sponsor the family day gives me great pride. I’m delighted to see it go from strength to strength.”

Conor O’Neill Punchestown CEO added “We always say that Punchestown is personal. That goes for the staff, customers, sponsors, locals and members of the racing industry. Everybody who visits Punchestown or does business here should feel like they are part of the place. We are so fortunate that Sean and Bernardine Mulryan share that view and have such special regard for Punchestown. They have been incredible supporters down the years through thick and thin. They are true racing and community people. The Ballymore Festival Family Day gives us the opportunity to introduce this unique event and venue to many families that may be new to the area but also to strengthen the sense of community for all those locals who have been enjoying Punchestown for years. To the Mulryans and Ballymore we say thank you”.

The 2020 Punchestown Festival takes place from Tuesday 28th April to Saturday 2nd May and expects to attract crowds in excess of 125,000 over the five days. Billed as the highlight and grand finale of Irish jump racing the Punchestown Festival boasts 12 Grade one races and a prize fund of over €3.2 million attracting the best of Irish and British racing talent.  The Punchestown Festival is a massive contributor to the local economy generating over €60 million. With 45 event sponsors, over 17,000 corporate hospitality guests and a huge influx of UK based racing fans Punchestown is a social, sporting and commercial flagship event on the Irish calendar each year.

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Trainer Joseph O’Brien will be hoping to add his name to the Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle roll of honour for the first time with two fascinating runners in the Grade 2 contest at Punchestown this Sunday. 

Meticulous, who was second to the unbeaten Envoi Allen in a Grade 2 bumper last season, will be hoping to become the first horse to win the Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle as a maiden. The six-year-old son of Fame And Glory carries the famous colours of Michael Tabor and will be joined in the race by his very progressive stable companion Anything Will Do

Anything Will Do was a Punchestown course and distance winner on his two most recent starts and will bid to make it four consecutive victories when tackling a field of five runners on Sunday. 

“Both Anything Will Do and Meticulous are in good shape,” O’Brien reported on Friday morning. “Anything Will Do is a very consistent horse with solid form and if he runs his race again hopefully he’ll be able to give Andy Dufresne a run for his money.”

“It would look a tough ask for Meticulous having his first run over hurdles but it comes to a point in the season when you want to get him out. His bumper form has worked out very well and there is no doubt that he is a decent horse so we look forward to seeing what he can do over obstacles. We are looking forward to getting him started.” 

Gordon Elliott, who won the race last year with the Gigginstown House Stud-owned Felix Desjy, relies on the JP McManus-owned Andy Dufresne for this renewal. 

Andy Dufresne will drop back to two miles on Sunday having finished second to the classy Latest Exhibition at Navan last time out and earlier this week Elliott reported his runner to be in fine fettle ahead of this assignment. 

“Andy Dufresne got beaten by a very good horse of Paul Nolan’s last time (Latest Exhibition) and he’s been in good shape since then. The way he jumps and travels two miles should be no problem for him,” Elliott said. 

Henry de Bromhead is represented by the impressive Navan maiden hurdle winner Captain Guinness who made a notable impression when winning first time out and is once again the mount of Rachael Blackmore this weekend. 

Shanroe is another who will look to win the race as a maiden over hurdles and give trainer Karl Thornton the biggest success of his career, while the field is completed by the John Ryan-trained The Little Yank

The Grade 3 Killiney Novice Chase looks set to be a memorable renewal with the Cheltenham Festival winner City Island taking on the Willie Mullins-trained Carefully Selected. 

City Island recorded a first Cheltenham Festival victory for trainer Martin Brassil and owners Sean and Bernardine Mulryan last season when taking the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and will be hoping to make his mark on Sunday ahead of the upcoming spring festivals. 

The Matthew Smith-trained Lord Schnitzel finished less than four lengths adrift of Carefully Selected in beginners chase earlier this season and since competed at Grade 1 level at Leopardstown when third behind Battleoverdoyen and Champagne Classic. 

Elliott runs Dallas Des Pictons in the Killiney Novice Chase and the field is completed by Halsafari and Speak Easy. 

The first of seven races at Punchestown on Sunday is due off at 12.30pm. 
 

 

Grade 2 Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle
Previous Winners

 

Year    Horse                     Jockey                      Trainer                  Age        Price

2019  Felix Desjy              S W Flanagan           Gordon Elliott                 6              11/4
2018  Getabird                 Mr. P W Mullins         W P Mullins                  6               1/1Fav
2017  Any Second Now  M P Walsh                 T M Walsh                       5                6/1
2016  Min                          R Walsh                      W P Mullins                   5                1/7Fav
2015  Douvan                   R Walsh                      W P Mullins                   5                1/3Fav
2014  Vautour                  P Townend                 W P Mullins                   5                1/4Fav 
2013  Mozoltov                R Walsh                      W P Mullins                   7                 9/4
2012  Trifolium                D N Russell                 C Byrnes                       5                 7/4Fav
2011  Gagewell Flyer      P Townend                 W P Mullins                  7                 13/8Fav
2010  Luska Lad             A J McNamara           John J Hanlon             6                  7/2

 

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The Grade 1 winning Abacadabras heads the entries for Sunday’s Grade 2 Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Hurdle at Punchestown as Gordon Elliott looks to add another high class novice race to his tally this season.

Elliott holds a strong hand at the five-day entry stage for Punchestown’s renowned Supreme Novices Hurdle trial with very well regarded Andy Dufresne, Easywork and Run Wild Fred featuring among a dozen acceptors for the €44,500 contest. 

Felix Desjy triumphed in the race 12-months ago for Elliott and Sean Flanagan and the Meath based trainer is hopeful of snaring top honours again on Sunday.

“Both Easywork and Andy Dufresne ran over two and a half miles last time but they could easily come back in trip,” Elliott suggested on Tuesday. 

“I was impressed with Easywork at Limerick and he looks quite exciting. Andy Dufresne got beaten by a very good horse of Paul Nolan’s last time and he’s been in good shape since then. The way he jumps and travels two miles should be no problem for him.

“We have also given Abacadabras an entry and we’ll just see how the horses come through their work this week and make a decision on who goes where,” Elliott added.

Willie Mullins has a fantastic record in the Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Hurdle with household names such as Vautour, Douvan, Min and Getabird among his recent winners and the champion trainer has included Blackbow, Janidil and Tiger Tap Tap in this renewal. 

Joseph O’Brien has a couple of intriguing entries for the Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Hurdle with the dual course and distance winner Anything Will Do a possible runner alongside stable companion Meticulous who carries the colours of Michael Tabor and has yet to make his hurdling debut. 

Impressive Navan maiden hurdle winner Captain Guinness may attempt to give Henry de Bromhead a first win in this race since Mister Watzisname scored in 2008. 

The Cheltenham Festival winning City Island is a notable name on the list of entries for the Grade 3 Killiney Novice Chase on Sunday.

Martin Brassil’s stable star pulled up following a mistake on his chasing debut at Leopardstown over Christmas but is in line for a quick reappearance at Punchestown this weekend. 

Willie Mullins’ entries are the recent winners Bapaume and Carefully Selected while Dallas Des Pictons looks set to spearhead Gordon Elliott’s challenge on the race. 

“Dallas Des Pistons has had a light season so far but he began to thrive this time last year and I’m looking forward to seeing him back in the novice chase this weekend,” Elliott said. 

 

 

CLICK HERE FOR FULL LIST OF ENTRIES FOR SUNDAY