Mullins off the mark with first Grade 1 as British take two races early on

Newly minted British champion trainer, Willie Mullins secured the first Grade 1 of the Punchestown Festival but not for the first time, it wasn’t with the expected horse, as Irancy benefited from a peach of a ride by Mark Walsh to score in the KPMG CHAMPION NOVICE HURDLE at 18/1. The seven-year-old led home a Mullins 1-2-3-4.
Although a winner at Grade 2 level in Fairyhouse subsequently, Irancy had been more than 32 lengths behind stablemate Kopek Des Bordes in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and 14 in arrears of another Closutton representative, Salvator Mundi, who subsequently delivered at Grade 1 level in Aintree.
Walsh opted not to get involved as the market leaders set strong early fractions. The signals from the 30/100 favourite, Kopek Des Bordes were not positive from the outset even with that suitable strong pace, as he made a number of mistakes under Paul Townend and his race was run after another at the penultimate obstacle.
In stark contrast, Walsh was sitting pretty, having asked Irancy to close the gap and a brilliant jump at the last put the affair to bed, as the gelding cantered to a nine-length triumph over Salvator Mundi, who had Patrick Mullins doing the steering, with Karbau and Danny Mullins in third and Kopek Des Bordes fourth.

“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,” said Mullins.
“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 in today’s pace.”
“Fair play to Willie for getting this lad to the track because he is a seven-year-old and he has had a lot of problems,” said Walsh. “Luckily this year everything has gone right for him and he deserved that big race today.

“Once we jumped the third hurdle at the top of the hill, the two lads were gone on me and I couldn’t go any quicker, so I didn’t force this fella.
“He didn’t come down the hill in Cheltenham great so I just held him together going down the hill here in Punchestown and just let him go his own comfortable stride. I wasn’t chasing them. Luckily enough, they came back to me going to the second last.”
There was a strong British tinge to the opening of the Punchestown Festival, with the second and third races headed for export.
Ascending Lark went off at an attractive 8/1 in the Listed Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle despite having won her previous five races for the red-hot team of trainer Harry Derham and his Mitchelstown-born jockey, Paul O’Brien and going to post with only 10-6 on her back.
Derham revealed afterwards that it took him quite a while to get a handle on the Great Pretender mare after he acquired her from Tipperary trainer, Liz Lalor, but patience proved a virtue.
““There is not many that win six never mind six in a row,” said Derham, who was saddling his first winner at the Punchestown Festival but had memorably overseen Clan Des Obeaux’s Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup triumph in 2021 when assistant to his uncle, Paul Nicholls.
“We didn’t plan on being that far back but she’s a good horse. He said he was going to ride her to come home and come home she has. Will (Watt) gave John (Lalor) half of her as a wedding present so it was quite the gift!

“A couple of times last year I was on the verge of retiring her. I couldn’t get her right… but her owners were very patient and thank God they were as she’s some mare.”
The Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final Handicap Hurdle was won by an English trainer in its inaugural running 12 months ago, when Tom Lacey’s Tune In A Box scored to delirious celebrations.
And there were similar scenes this time around when Scottish conditioner, Mike Smith legged his teenage son Ben up on Buy Some Time to score at 50/1.
Smith, who has known the sponsor, Ronnie Bartlett since their riding days, revealed that he had targeted this €100,000 contest for some time.
“Ben had to torture himself to get down to do the weight and he was spot on,” said Smith. “Is there anything better than a day like today at the Punchestown Festival and your son winning like that. It doesn’t come any better than that.
“I used to ride in point-to-points against Ronnie years ago. We had some fun doing it and there are some stories to tell.
“When he jumped the second last I thought we can finish in the first four and then he just galloped away.
“They all tell you that you can’t beat the Irish and Willie (Mullins)comes over and beats us all, but it doesn’t always happen that way. You have to be brave to take the risk and throw the darts!”
Taghmon owner/trainer, Richie O’Keeffe showed that it isn’t only Mullins that can lead the opposition a merry dance as he produced the first two home in the historic Kildare Hunt Club Chase for the Ladies Cup, with Transprint (22/1) coming late under a vigorous drive from Tony Doyle to deny Turnupdevolume and Cheltenham Festival-winning pilot, Barry Stone.