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David Cottin is well placed to wrest the lead in the Crystal Cup from Josef Vana, as the 12 leg pan-European cross country steeplechase challenge meets its 7th leg at Cheltenham this Friday.

Iceo Madrik has been given an attractive low weight to add to his victory in the sixth leg at Compiegne in early November, but a win outside France would earn the likeable Cottin double points in pursuit of the challenge, which offers €50,000 in bonuses to owners and trainers of the leading two horses.
Cottin announced his intent to pursue the challenge in the opening leg at Waregem in late August, when Placenet won handsomely. A win from the progressive Iceo Madrik on Friday would catapult Cottin to within 6 points of long time leaderboard favourite Vana, with the Czech trainer not running in England. The remaining 5 races take place either in France, at Cheltenham, or in Ireland, lending themselves to a strong French finish.

Cottin should be encouraged by the exploits of Sweet David in the corresponding Glenfarclas – sponsored chase at the November fixture, as Sweet David’s trainer had swerved running against Iceo Madrik at Compiegne on November 11th for the easier race at Cheltenham.

Current Trainer Leaderboard standings
Josef Vana (CZ) 39
Patrice Quinton (FR) 28
David Cottin (FR) 21
P Griffin (IRE) 16

Mystery surrounds the absence of any British-trained runner in the challenge. Despite favourable conditions applying to British-trained entries abroad, the Crystal Cup’s lucrative races have been largely ignored by the owner-trainer fraternity.

The Challenge moves to Pau on February 9th after Friday.

ENDS

Contact:
Peter McNeile, Crystal Cup – +44 7850 091523 or info@crystalcup.org

 

It’s the people who make Punchestown and this weekend Punchestown is delivering for the people.

Punchestown is set to shine this weekend as the prestigious Punchestown Premiere Weekend features two thrilling days of Grade 1 action on Saturday, November 23rd and Sunday, November 24th. The weekend’s marquee events include the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle on Saturday and the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase on Sunday, both of which will showcase some of the sport’s most exciting horses, including the top-rated horses in Ireland State Man and Galopin Des Champs.

Between the 17 horses declared across both feature races at Punchestown this weekend they have won a combined total of 40 Grade 1 races and it is set to be a sporting weekend to remember with history in the making on Saturday and a potential race for the ages on Sunday afternoon.

Saturday’s Unibet Morgiana Hurdle: A Showdown of Champions
The €150,000 Unibet Morgiana Hurdle stands alone as a highlight of the jump season, and this year’s renewal promises to be a thrilling contest with State Man, trained by Willie Mullins, seeking to make history by winning his third consecutive Unibet Morgiana Hurdle, a feat last achieved by the legendary Hurricane Fly.

In the biggest Unibet Morgiana Hurdle field since the turn of the century, the Grade 1 star will face a formidable field, including talented stablemate Lossiemouth and Gordon Elliott’s highly-regarded Brighterdaysahead, who comes into the race with the benefit of match practice following her win at Down Royal.

State Man, whose only defeat in Grade 1 company was to Constitution Hill, is seeking an eleventh Grade 1 success over hurdles, two of which came in the Boodles Champion Hurdle at Punchestown and last March he famously captured the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Lossiemouth, who is the mount of Patrick Mullins, is herself a four time Grade 1 winner, while Brighterdaysahead won at the highest level at Aintree last season.
Gordon Elliott, speaking ahead of the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle, said: “We had a few options for her after Down Royal but we thought the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown was the best next step for her.

“She’s come out of Down Royal in good form and couldn’t have done much more there so we’ll go to Punchestown now at the weekend and find out a lot more about her. It’s a very prestigious race and we look forward to running her and her performance on Saturday will tell us a lot more about what direction to point her in next.”

The race will also feature the Mullins-trained Daddy Long Legs, the classy Sir Gerhard, and Winter Fog, as well as Smooth Tom (Andy Slattery) and No Looking Back (Oliver McKiernan). With a €150,000 prize fund on offer, Saturday’s showpiece promises to be a memorable renewal of race which has a notable roll of honour including the aforementioned Hurricane Fly, Faugheen, Nichols Canyon, Solwhit and Hardy Eustace.
Sunday’s John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase: A Clash of Gold Cup Heroes
Sunday’s John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase is set to be the weekend’s most eagerly anticipated race and could well be in line for race of the season even at this early stage.

Another mouth-watering clash between Galopin Des Champs, the reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, and Fastorslow, the Punchestown Gold Cup victor is in store. This is the latest chapter in an exciting rivalry between the two eight-year-olds and will be the best jump race we have seen since their Punchestown Gold Cup clash last April.
Both Fastorslow and Galopin Des Champs are arguably coming into their prime season now but will start the campaign by taking on some of last season’s leading novice chasers in Fact To File, Grangeclare West, Inothewayurthinkin and Spillane’s Tower. Blue Lord and Journey With Me are both highly rated chasers in their own right and Minella Cocooner makes up a very strong field for the €150,000 feature.
Martin Brassil, trainer of Fastorslow, expressed his excitement ahead of the race: “Everything has gone to plan with him, and we’re really looking forward to the challenge. It’s fantastic to see so many top-class horses taking each other on in their first race of the season.”

The JP McManus-owned trio of Fact To File, Inothewayurthinkin and Spillane’s Tower all polished off fine seasons with Grade 1 successes last spring. Fact To File, the mount of Mark Walsh, won the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham, Inothewayurthinkin scored at Aintree while Spillane’s Tower is a course and distance winner having landed the Dooley Insurance Champion Novice Chase at the Punchestown Festival.

Blue Lord, a Grade 1 winner over two miles returns to action for the first time since last year’s John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase, while the extremely talented Grangeclare West, a Grade 1 winning novice last season, also makes a long awaited return to action for the champion trainer.
Quality action across the weekend
Saturday’s card will also feature the Boodles Florida Pearl Novice Chase, where Gordon Elliott will saddle all three runners, including Stellar Story, Search For Glory, and Rainbow Trail. Elliott’s stable jockey Jack Kennedy rides Stellar Story with Sam Ewing onboard Search For Glory and Jody McGarvey booked for Rainbow Trail.
On the same day, Ballyburn, who triumphed in the Grade 1 Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival, will make his highly-anticipated chasing debut in the Conway Piling Beginners Chase. Fellow Punchestown Festival winner Sermandzarak, who claimed the Goffs Defender Bumper, will embark on his hurdling career in the Sebden Steel Maiden Hurdle.
Sunday will see exciting action in the BetVictor Craddockstown Novice Chase, with Farren Glory and Touch Me Not from Gordon Elliott’s yard headlining the Grade 2 contest. Nurburgring, the Galway Hurdle winner, is another standout entry for trainer Joseph O’Brien.
Racing on Sunday will begin with the Colm Quinn BMW Risk Of Thunder Chase, with Stumptown, a Punchestown Festival winner, among the declared runners in the cross-country race.

Conor O’Neill, Punchestown Racecourse CEO added: “I think that this is probably one of the best weekends racing we have had here in many years. The increase in prize money, bringing the Durkan back into the Premiere Weekend is reflected in the sheer calibre of horses declared to run. We are all systems go and the reaction to the good value tickets has been really positive.”
Live Coverage on TG4 and RTÉ
Both days of top-tier racing will be broadcast live on terrestrial television, with TG4 airing its first-ever Grade 1 meeting on Saturday and RTÉ covering Sunday’s action.

Tickets and further event details are available at punchestown.com.

Click here for the full fields for racing on Saturday

Click here for the full fields for racing on Sunday

 

 

Punchestown Announce The Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series

€100,000 Prize Fund announced under new series partnership

Punchestown racecourse today made the exciting announcement that Albert Bartlett, the UK’s leading producer of potato products, will sponsor the newly branded Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series in a significant three-year deal that will see the series final prize fund grow to €100,000.

Further to today’s announcement the initiative will expand from ten to a total of twelve qualifying races divided between England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The first qualifier will take place on Saturday 23 rd November at Punchestown’s Premiere Weekend fixture and culminate on the opening day of the 2025 Punchestown Festival, Tuesday 29 th April, with the €100,000 Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final.

Launched in October 2023, the initial concept for the series was to provide an opportunity for horses in the competitive two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle category, with ratings of up to 120, to compete for an impressive prize on a feature festival day. Born from the success of the inaugural running, Albert Bartlett have increased the number of qualifiers and boosted the final prize fund from €80,000 to €100,000.

Albert Bartlett Chairman Ronnie Bartlett outlined the key driver behind their support of the series: “We were really impressed with the first running of the concept in 2023. We hope partnering to create the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series will enhance the series further to encourage travel, cohesion and alignment throughout jump racing in the UK and Ireland with the exciting involvement of UK trained and owned horses competing at Punchestown. The series allows owners and trainers to visit new tracks, cross the Irish sea, meet with new peers, all built around enjoying flagship race days and competing for meaningful prize money. Ultimately we hope this will create more really entertaining days for race fans to enjoy and that’s what it is all about.”

Punchestown CEO Conor O’Neill, said: “We are delighted to announce The Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series and really look forward to optimising this exciting concept alongside the Albert Bartlett team who share in our vision and objectives for the initiative. Together we aim to create an inclusive prospect for horses at a particular level to compete for a significant prize pot on the big stage whilst providing an excellent opportunity to open up the sport even further by encouraging owners and trainers to travel and compete across what is a relatively small jurisdiction. To this end we couldn’t have hoped for a better result of the inaugural running when Herefordshire trainer Tom Lacey won the final with Tune In A Box owned by the Woolhope Hopeful Syndicate.”

Reflecting on their Punchestown Festival Experience, Rachel Tobey, member of 2024 series final winning owners Woolhope Hopefuls, said: “We had the most wonderful and memorable experience at Punchestown. The welcome was exceptional. A group of us travelled over expecting the visit to the highlight but as our name suggests we were hopeful that Tune in a box could deliver. To win was beyond our dreams! We think that what is now the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series initiative is absolutely brilliant. Without it we would probably have never had a runner at Punchestown and now we are fully focused on returning again!”

The 2024/2025 Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Qualifiers

1. 23rd November – Punchestown
2. 5th January – Chepstow
3. 12th January – Punchestown
4. 26th January – Naas
5. 23rd January – Huntingdon
6. 14th February – Kelso
7. 15th February – Gowran Park
8. 26th February – Wincanton
9. 7th March – Ayr
10. 17th March – Down Royal
11. 20th March – Cork
12. 28th March – Wetherby
** 29th April – Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final, Punchestown Festival**

Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Details

• The Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series includes twelve qualifying races that will take place across Ireland and the UK with the €100,000 final taking place on the opening day of the 2025 Punchestown Festival, Tuesday 29th April.
• The qualifying races in the series will take place from November 2024 to March 2025.
• Each qualifier will be a hurdle race over a distance of between two miles two furlongs and two miles six furlongs, exclusively for horses rated 0-120. The series culminates with a 130 =11st 12lb final, allowing horses that improve their handicap marks throughout the season to still compete in the final.
• The first five home in each qualifier will be eligible to enter the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series final.
• Qualifier placings will take precedence over handicap ratings in the ballot process, ensuring the most competitive horses earn their chance to compete in the final.
• The Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series final will be run over two miles four furlongs at the 2025 Punchestown Festival.
• The Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series will be kindly hosted in association with geographically selected tracks across England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
• This series launches on day one of the Punchestown Premiere Weekend, 23rd November 2024 and culminates on the opening day of the 2025 Punchestown Festival, Tuesday 29th April.

A collection of Ireland’s premier racehorses are on course to line up at Punchestown’s Premiere Weekend next month as Grade 1 racing returns to the home of jump racing.
Ireland’s highest rated hurdler and highest rated chaser feature among the entries for the Grade 1 Unibet Morgiana Hurdle and the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase respectively. Both races will see an increase in prize money this year with the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle receiving a €25,000 boost and the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase prize being upped by €50,000.
State Man is one of 12 horses entered for the €150,000 Unibet Morgiana Hurdle which takes place on November 23rd, while dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs could be set for another Punchestown showdown with dual Punchestown Gold Cup winner Fastorslow on November 24th in what could potentially be one of the races of the entire season.

Willie Mullins has only had the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle prised away from his keeping once since 2011, that was when Abacadabras claimed the 2020 renewal for Gordon Elliott and Mullins once again has a strong supporting cast alongside Champion Hurdle hero State Man.
Seeking a hat-trick of victories in the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle, State Man is joined among the entries by Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle winner Ballyburn, KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle winner Mystical Power and Coolmore Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle winner Lossiemouth as well as Daddy Long Legs, Sir Gerhard and Winter Fog.
Gordon Elliott’s quest for a second victory in the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle relies on the Grade 1 winning novice Brighterdaysahead and Fils d’Oudairies who was third in this race last year.
Recent Punchestown winner Aspire Tower may well stick to hurdling for this assignment after getting his season off to a good start at Punchestown this month for Henry de Bromhead, while the potential line up is completed by the locally trained No Looking Back for Oliver McKiernan, and the Andy Slattery-trained Smooth Tom.

A mouthwatering list of 20 horses have been entered for the €150,000 John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase, headed by Galopin Des Champs and Fastorslow.
Galopin Des Champs has reigned supreme twice in the Cheltenham Gold Cup but Fastorslow has had his measure in two editions of the Punchestown Gold Cup as well as the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase last season. Added into the mix is the Gordon Elliott-trained Gerri Colombe and the Joseph O’Brien-trained Banbridge is a fascinating entry having won the Grade 1 William Hill Champion Chase here in April.
The Jimmy Mangan-trained Spillane’s Tower ended the season with a Grade 1 double when claiming the WillowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse before signing off a fine campaign in the Dooley Insurance Champion Novice Chase at the Punchestown Festival and could make his seasonal deubt back at the Kildare venue.

Conor O’Neill, CEO of Punchestown Racecourse, commented: “This is one of the most exciting times of the year for all of the team here at Punchestown Racecourse as we reignite the jump season with quality Grade 1 racing. We have 32 horses entered across our first two big races of the season, the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle which has six individual Grade 1 winners entered and the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase with 16 of the 20 entries already proven as Grade 1 winners.
“It is already promising to be a fantastic weekend at Punchestown and we can’t wait to welcome back so many familiar faces who will be in for an absolute treat.”

A weekend ticket to cover both days of the Punchestown Premiere Weekend is just €25 and more details on all available packages can be found at www.punchestown.com

THE PUNCHESTOWN PREMIERE WEEKEND INFO PAGE

 

When – Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 November

 

Feature Races

 

Times  

 

Tickets  – BOOK HERE

 

Our Famous Race & Dine from €65pp – VIEW HERE

Enhance your race day with family and friends from only €65pp up to €115pp. Options range from private suites with tailored menus to our flagship Corinthian and Watch House restaurants offering some of the most highly reviewed food in racing enjoyed with the best views in sport.

 

Transport 

 

Family Friendly Venue with Free Kids Stuff!

All children under 14 race for free. Santa Truck here on Saturday. Santa Train on Sunday. Hay Cafe and The Feedroom Cafe  offering full menu of snacks, carvery, salads, barista coffee and of course child sized portions.

All families in attendance can enter to Win a Trip to Lapland. 

 

Music, shops, snacks and strolls. 

Aside from top class grade one racing there will be live music from Evolution (Saturday) and The Sandmen (Sunday) available to all and located in the grandstand.

A festive shopping pavilion will welcome visitors at the turnstiles and as always there will be something for all ages throughout the enclosures.

Pick up a barista coffee and warm pastries or chips and a pint and enjoy a stroll around one of Ireland’s favorite venues in the foothills of the Dublin and Wicklow mountains.

 

What To Wear:

It’s Ireland….in November….so wrap up to enjoy the best of the day. If you are attending one of our restaurant or suite venues we suggest at least smart casual to fully suited and booted. There are plenty of comfortable cosy indoor venues with great access to the parade ring and viewing stands.

 

Can We Assist ?

The best way to keep up to date is to follow our social media channels. Please feel free to contact our team for further assistance on 00 353 (0)45 897704 or contact info@punchestown.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plenty to look forward to for all families this weekend at Punchestown on 23 and 24 November:

 

 

The chance for one lucky family to win an adventure to Lapland this December.

THE PRIZE – FULL DETAILS

This one-day Lapland adventure will be on Saturday 7 December travelling from Dublin airport. The highlight of this memorable experience will be meeting Santa in his log cabin after visiting Kittila’s Snow Village where little ones can zoom on the snow slide, learn how to drive a miniature skidoo, enjoy a short husky-led sleigh ride and visit get involved in arty activities and warm up over lunch in the cafe.

Read about the full trip HERE.

HOW TO WIN?

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Schools in the Punchestown Community Programme 2024/2025

  1. An Linbh Iosa, Ballycane
  2. Ballyshannon National School
  3. Caragh National School
  4. Halverstown NS- St Josephs NS
  5. Hollywood NS
  6. Kill National School/ Scoil Bhride
  7. Killashee Multi Denominational National School
  8. Lacken
  9. Rathmore National School
  10. Scoil Mhuire National School, Ballymore
  11. Scoil Bhride National School, Kilcullen
  12. Scoil Brid, Oldtown Naas
  13. Scoil Chorbain
  14. St Marys J.N.S, Blessington
  15. St Marys SNS, Blessington
  16. Marks Newbridge
  17. Naas Community National School
  18. Ursaille Naofa, Twomilehouse
  19. Valleymount

Punchestown Festival Gets Underway As Racing Celebrates Historic Season

MEDIA RELEASE 29th APRIL 2024: They’re coming home! The winners, the heroes and the champions return to the home of Irish jump racing tomorrow for the grand finale of what has been a history making season, as the 2024 Punchestown Festival kicks off from Tuesday 30th April to Saturday 4th May.

Organisers anticipate an attendance of 100,000 people across the five-day event that attracts visitors from throughout Ireland, the UK, Canda and even as far as Australia making the pilgrimage to the hallowed amphitheatre. The main attraction is the prestigious top-class racing that showcases the very best of Irish racing talent and the stars of the show include the recently crowned Champion Trainer in Britain Willie Mullins, Racheal Blackmore, Henry de Bromhead and Gordon Elliott.

With €3.5 million in prize money on offer across 40 races featuring 12 grade one contests the standard will be as high as ever. Epic clashes of old adversaries like dual Gold Cup champion Galopin Des Champs and 2023 Punchestown Gold Cup winner Fastorslow are top of the bill. In fact, a majority of feature race winners from this years Cheltenham Festival are set to line up across the week at Punchestown. Another tantalising showdown has emerged in the champion jockey category where reigning champion Paul Townend is hoping to make up ground on Dingle native Jack Kennedy who rides for the Gordon Elliott stable.

Following a reinvigorated recruitment campaign throughout the UK the number of British trained runners has more than trebled since last year. This is a very encouraging trend as hosting overseas horses and connections is a unique feature of the festival. There are many new names amongst the British trainers travelling as the next generation of handlers emerge.

The Punchestown team have committed to deliver four strategic changes at this years flagship racing festival. Following market research and stakeholder consultation, the first two days will start at the earlier time of 2.30pm. Ticket prices have been dropped to just €30 early in the week and €40 for Friday and Saturday with concessions for seniors, students and families. Children under fourteen year so f age race for free every day at Punchestown throughout the season. The Festival layout has undergone a revamp with the old reserved enclosure barrier removed and new features included throughout. Finally, improved and enhanced food and beverage offerings and service are introduced across the site.

People make Punchestown and key to all great celebrations is the combination of guest list, live entertainment, delicious food, amazing style and this is where the Punchestown Festival delivers in spades. Over 17,000 hospitality clients from 795 companies, 158 of which are UK based, will enjoy delicious seasonal menus prepared and served by 60 chefs, 420 catering staff and 280 bar staff. Catering for this number means large scale and three tonnes of fresh vegetables, over 60 kilos of artisan cheeses and 15,000 portions of petit four desserts and canapes will be enjoyed over the five days. Throughout the pavilions, bars and enclosures the atmosphere builds with live music, street theatre and DJ sets running alongside shopping village and full entertainment programme.

The Bollinger Best Dressed competition is one of the most prestigious style challenges on the racing calendar with finalists chosen across the first four days progressing to the final on Ladies day, Friday 3rd May. Open to all, the fresh take on race day style encourages entrants of all ages to be creative, sustainable and brave in a bid to win the ‘money can’t buy’ prize to Paris and The Bollinger Chateuax in Champagne region. Following feedback a separate gents prize will be presented this year.

As one of Ireland’s largest events the Punchestown Festival is big business bringing a massive boost to the local economy with over €60 million generated through tourism, leisure and associated spends. However, the event also plays a significant community roll working alongside local GAA clubs and charities to generate funds through volunteer schemes and fundraising initiatives. The Punchestown Kidney Research Charity race, now in its 33 year, has raised close to €2 million and is joined this year by charities Cara Rescue, Samaritans, and three local national school funds.

Punchestown CEO Conor O’Neill looked ahead to the event: “This years festival has a great buzz about it with an extra celebratory feel as the champions return to the home of Irish jump racing. We have rolled out some major changes in response to customer feedback with the event layout and entertainment programme better than ever. We even have good news on the weather front! All that remains is for friends old and new to join us across five brilliant days at the iconic Punchestown Festival”.

The Punchestown Festival takes place from Tuesday 30th April to Saturday 4th May at Punchestown Racecoure. Full event tickets and information available at www.punchetsown.com

ENDS

No-repro Fee images – https://we.tl/t-VrGY9ehclq

 

Harry Derham: To have horses going to the Punchestown Festival this early in my career is still a bit of a pinch-yourself moment

 

For many years, Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson led the British assault on the vast prize money on offer at the Punchestown Festival but while the venerable duo remain at the peak of their powers, the succession race is on and there is a new gang in ‘Town.

Anthony Honeyball has an amazing strike rate at Ireland’s traditional end-of-season jamboree and will be bidding extend his winning sequence to a fourth consecutive festival next week.

The Full Circle Series, designed to provide more opportunities for horses rated 130 or less, has attracted the attention of a number of Honeyball’s compatriots as a result of half of the ten qualifiers being held on the other side of the Irish Sea.

The €80,000 final takes place on Tuesday’s opening leg of the five-day carnival of jumps racing, and among the British conditioners represented are Honeyball, Ben Pauling, Tom Lacey, Venetia Williams and Charlie Longsdon.

Harry Derham does not have a horse among the 34 still standing in the final, but he plans to mark the end of his first full season as a trainer by bringing former Derby fancy, Brentford Hope and three other horses to Kildare to bag a slice of the riches on offer.

The last time Derham was in Punchestown, he was in select company, with the world ground to a halt by Covid.

As assistant trainer to his uncle, the aforementioned Nicholls, he was oversaw the preparations of two-time King George VI Chase victor, Clan Des Obeaux for the Ladbrokes Gold Cup in 2021. Given a peach of a ride by Sam Twiston-Davies, Clan held off the valiant challenge of dual Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo.

They proved it could be done then, as Honeyball has more recently and Sophie Leech also did 23 months ago.

Derham may be just 29 and in the nascent stages of his new career, having saddled his first runner as a trainer at the end of 2022 after 11 years in Ditcheat, but he doesn’t like to place limits on himself.

A Cheltenham Festival winner as a jockey, who gave up riding young, the neophyte is clearly ambitious and talented but also pragmatic. He knows he is entering the lion’s den but given what Mullins, in particular, has managed everywhere from Nakayama to Auteuil, from Nashville to Melbourne and from Royal Ascot to Riyadh and that he will be crowned British champion jumps’ trainer tomorrow at Sandown, there doesn’t seem any point in running and hiding.

Go out and grab a slice of the pie for yourself is the Derham approach as he embarks on the succession trail, doing what his erstwhile boss did before him. With a strike rate of 25% since saddling his first runner towards the end of 2022, the neophyte is making his presence felt and it would be the cherry on top to come away from Punchestown with a winner.

“The first time I was in Punchestown (in 2014), I rode in the boys’ race (the Martinstown Opportunity Series Final) for John Kiely,” Derham remembers. “Gave the horse (On The Way Out) a terrible ride. Then I rode for Paul and Graham Wylie, a horse called Grandioso in a handicap chase and he ran well.

“Then I came back and represented Paul when Clan Des Obeaux won the Punchestown Gold Cup behind closed doors. It was a very odd experience because obviously you win an enormous race like that in front of about seven people!

“The two occasions I’ve been there, I’ve been blown away by the track. It’s an absolutely amazing racecourse. To have runners there next week is really cool.”

Recalling that surreal experience of three years ago, the Boxford-based handler continues: “That was a day I genuinely will never forget… You never take being part of a prestigious race like the Punchestown Gold Cup for granted.

“To me that was my favourite performance of Clan’s that day, He was really brave. It was a great performance. It was just a shame that nobody was there! I remember giving Sam a hug after and then realising, ‘Oh, you can’t do that!’

“I was struck by how well we were looked after and there was no expectation for that given Covid, so I’m looking forward to heading over there in normal times.”

Derham has nothing but respect for the record-breaking feats of Mullins and hails the Closutton supremo as a hugely positive influence on horse racing. But he will not run away if he spots an opportunity, regardless of venue or jurisdiction.

“Anthony Honeyball is a great example. He’s done fantastically well at Punchestown. It shows it can be done. Paul always said to me, ‘Wherever you’re going, whether it be Wincanton, Punchestown or Newbury, you have to have the right horses.’ If you get to the right races with the right horses then you have a chance.

“I have nothing but admiration for Willie and what he’s built. I’ve heard myself correcting a lot of people recently saying, ‘Oh it’s all right for him, he gets the best horses.’ He didn’t always get the best horses. He didn’t start with 250 horses. He’s got them because he’s the best. He’s the bar that everybody else has to get to and I don’t begrudge him anything. I think it’s phenomenal what he’s doing.

“I think he’s good for the sport and it’s something to be celebrated. I’m not going to say I’d love to get to his level as it would be a mad thing to say, but he is, without question, the person all of us jump people have to beat if we want to get to the top.”

He is fully aware how difficult it will be to saddle a winner next week but is hopeful of four good runs that will yield some nice prize money.

Brentford Hope has won five times over hurdles for The Optimists Syndicate since being bought from stout Punchestown supporters and sponsors, Seán and Bernardine Mulryan out of the Richard Hughes yard. The seven-year-old son of Camelot’s rating has increased from 114, when he won his maiden at Wincanton 13 months ago, to its current mark of 145.

Tuesday’s Listed Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle is the target now.

“He has been a real flagbearer for the yard. We didn’t feel Cheltenham was his track. We’ve tried to keep him to slightly more level tracks. I know Punchestown is a little bit undulating but it’s a lot more gradual than it would be at Cheltenham. A horse like him deserves to go to a festival now.

“Sir Psycho, who’s running in the Listed EMS Copiers Novice Handicap Chase on the Friday has done well for me all season. He’s run good races and it’s his last chance to run in a novice chase. It’s worth €100,000 as well. What a fantastic chance for him to run in a race like that.

“On Thursday, Molly’s Mango will run in the Listed Close Brothers Mares’ Novice Hurdle which is a nice race for mares that haven’t won graded races, which takes out a couple of the top ones like Jade De Grugy and (her former Gordon Elliott stablemate) Brighterdaysahead. Molly ran well at Cheltenham. She’s a lovely mare who’s going to go novice chasing in the autumn and there’s a lovely programme for mares’ novice chases in England but I think she will run a nice race.

“Queensbury Boy is a winner of a bumper over here. We were going to go for a valuable bumper just after Cheltenham but he wasn’t just quite right. He’s a really, really nice horse and will be a smart novice hurdler next season but he is going to take his chance in the JP & M Doyle Bumper on Thursday.”

All his owners apart from one are making the trip and the excitement is growing.

“For me, Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown are the three monster meetings of the jumps racing calendar.

“I want to win and I’m bloody competitive but to have horses going to the Punchestown Festival this early in my career is still a bit of a pinch-yourself moment. I’m certainly not taking for granted how cool it is after 18 months as a trainer to be taking four to a meeting of that magnitude.”

 

New equine centre to be named in memory of Jack de Bromhead at the ChildVision campus in Drumcondra

€1,000,000 funding already secured through donations

Original Honeysuckle silks to be auctioned at next week’s Punchestown Festival

 

Today ChildVision, the specialist therapy and education centre for children with visual impairment, announced that a much-needed new indoor equine therapeutic centre, named in memory of Jack de Bromhead, will be built this year as a result of generous donations from a group of family and friends of the de Bromhead family.

The new indoor facility at the ChildVision campus will give children who are blind, multi-disabled and neurodiverse access to the best global equine activities in a supportive and purpose designed environment and will allow the ChildVision equine team and volunteers to extend their services to reach more children over more hours making a life-changing difference, especially through the winter months and in bad weather conditions.

Spearheaded by de Bromhead family friend and well-known racehorse owner Chris Jones, and with the blessing of Jack’s parents Heather and Henry, the €1,000,000 donation target required to complete the equine therapeutic centre, was reached last December.

To continue to donate towards the running costs of ChildVision’s equine programme, Kenny Alexander, owner of equine superstar Honeysuckle, which was trained by Henry, has donated the racing colours that Rachael Blackmore wore in all of their major races including four Cheltenham Festival victories and nine Irish Grade 1 winners. The iconic silks, signed by Rachael, Henry and Kenny, will be auctioned at the Goffs sale at the Punchestown Festival on Thursday, May 2.

The de Bromhead family – Henry, Heather and their daughters Mia and Georgia, said of today’s announcement: “The equine centre will be a wonderful legacy for our beloved Jack, a hugely missed son and brother. Horses are a huge part of our lives, and we know the physical experience of riding a horse offers so many potential benefits, especially helping address a host of physical, social and emotional issues. More so, it will be a place of learning and hope, full of laughter and joy, traits that were such a part of Jack, all facilitated by the much-treasured horses and ponies that call the ChildVision stables home. We are looking forward to following the development and construction of the new equine therapeutic centre and being there to cut the ribbon when it is completed. We are forever grateful to those who came on board to support us – we know Jack would be really proud of what this life-changing generosity will enable.”

Speaking about how the idea came about, Chris Jones, said: “I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit ChildVision last summer and to see first-hand the therapeutic impact that equine can have on children with complex needs. I knew that Henry and Heather already had a connection to ChildVision and knowing that many friends and family members wanted to find some way to mark Jack’s love of horses in a tangible way, the Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre concept came to fruition. The response to my call for donations was unbelievably kind and generous. It’s a testament to the high regard the de Bromheads are held in, that we are in a position to make the equine centre at ChildVision in Jack’s name, a reality.”

Barry Sheridan, ChildVision CEO, commented: “We have an ambitious plan for the ChildVision campus and front and centre was trying to secure funding for an equine therapeutic centre. We had already raised over €500,000 but without this extraordinary fundraising support we would not have been in a position to break ground in 2024 on this vital facility. We would like to thank the de Bromhead family, Chris Jones and the other wonderful benefactors for enabling our dream to come true. We will ensure that Jack’s legacy and that of his loving family, who so generously agreed to share his name with us, will live on for generations to come.”

Speaking about the Honeysuckle colours to be auctioned at the Punchestown Festival, Rachael Blackmore, said: “Honeysuckle gave me some of the best days of my career – her colours hold a lot of very special memories. Zoe, Henry’s travelling head girl, always kept this one special set aside just for Honeysuckle and I wore them in all of Honeysuckle’s big days at Fairyhouse, Leopardstown, Cheltenham and Punchestown. They are going to be auctioned at the Goffs sale on day three of the Punchestown Festival, Thursday May 2 and all money raised will be donated to the operating costs of the new Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre. The donation will make a lasting difference to those children and their families who will benefit so much from the amazing work that they do at ChildVision, where hopefully many more great memories will be made.”

Garvan Hanley of Hanley Taite Design Partnership based in Virginia, County Cavan has been commissioned by ChildVision to design the new centre on the campus. The new equine centre is a contemporary, tensile fabric curved roofed building with timber and brick clad walls providing an enclosed sand arena, stables for up to 10 horses and ponies, changing facilities, offices, a viewing area/learning space and all ancillary accommodation. The building extends to 1375 sq.m. and will provide services in all weathers and on dark evenings in an environment that will offer comfort and safety to its users.

Follow ChildVision:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChildVisionVI/
Instagram: @childvisionvi
Twitter: @ChildVisionVI
Website: www.childvision.com

For further information on the Jack de Bromhead equine centre at the ChildVision campus, please contact:
Joanne Byrne, Presence PR – joannebyrne@presence.ie or 087 2494 668

For information on the Honeysuckle colours auction, please contact:
Barbara White, Horse Racing Ireland – bwhite@hri.ie or 087 251 1482

NOTES TO EDITORS
ChildVision’s Equine Assisted Activities (EEA) Programme is an excellent national therapeutic horse-riding programme with proven success of supporting children with physical, emotional, social and cognitive difficulties. With the help of nine fabulous horses, the team complete on average 120 interventions per week, using the horse as an unparalleled therapeutic medium. The caseload comprises of children from ChildVision who experience sight loss and complex needs, individual autistic children, children with cerebral palsy, and those with complex medical needs. EAA works on a strengths-based approach. The aim and ethos of all sessions is to work with the child’s strengths to improve upon their weaknesses. Each session is individualised and created specific to the child’s unique needs. Reported benefits of EAA include improved concentration and learning, sensory regulation, communication and social skills, tone and gross body posture etc.

The programme also supports the whole family unit. The movement method, as part of the horse boy training, looks at ways of carrying over the impact from the equine yard into the classroom and home. The EAA group run parents’ evenings throughout the school year, facilitating learning and creating an opportunity for parents to form peer support groups within a dedicated space; pivotal for supporting emotional and mental health well-being.

 

 

Global Major Appliance Brand Haier Join Punchestown Festival Sponsor Line Up

 

Media Release Monday 22nd April 2024: Punchestown Racecourse are delighted to welcome global market leading appliance specialists Haier to the 2024 festival sponsor line up. The sporting and social highlight event takes place from Tuesday 30th April to Saturday 4th May.

The €15,000 Haier Flat Race will be the concluding contest on the opening day, Tuesday 30th April, of the 2024 Punchestown Festival. Thus providing a fitting finale to a flagship event in the Haier calendar as they commence their day with a conference followed by a special hospitality event at the racecourse.

Established in 1984, Haier has over thirty years of experience and is dedicated to design of high-quality reliable appliances for a discerning customer base. Euromonitor International has appointed Haier as the worlds number one global major appliance brand for the 15th consecutive year*. Operating across 200 markets, with 138 factories and ten research and development centres Haier employs upwards of 100,000 people.

Liz Addinall, Haier Trade Marketing Manager for Haier Smart Home in Ireland looked ahead to the Haier Punchestown activation saying, “Haier is delighted to be involved with the prestigious Punchestown Racing Festival as a sponsor this year. We are excited to be showcasing our brand and products to our Irish audience. Haier’s stylish products go across all categories from cooling to cooking and laundry. They offer the highest level of energy efficiency and a solution that tailors to our customers needs.

“We look forward to building on our relationships with retailers and furthering the visibility of the brand in Ireland with this sponsorship.”

Welcoming Haier to the Punchestown Festival line up Punchestown Sponsorship Manager Leona Hughes said, “The Haier principles of customer service, high quality and reliability align perfectly with the Punchestown model and so it is a pleasure to welcome the Haier team to the 2024 Festival. As Ireland’s largest sporting corporate hospitality event we take pride in treating our clients guests like our own. People Make Punchestown and we look forward to welcoming Haier as a new sponsor and client in a few weeks time”.

The 2024 Punchestown Festival takes place from Tuesday 30th April to Saturday 4th May. With over €3.4 million in prize money across forty contests including 12 grade one races, the Punchestown Festival is Ireland most prestigious jump racing festival. Over 100,000 people are expected to attend across the five days. For full event information and ticket options please visit www.punchestown.com

 

ENDS

For more information on Haier in Ireland visit Haier.ie

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(*Source: Euromonitor International Limited; Consumer Appliances 2024, % share of units, 2023 volume sales data)

 HAIER

Established in 1984, Haier Group is a world-leading provider of solutions to a better life. Focusing on user experience, Haier has been included on the list of BrandZ™ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands for two consecutive years as the world’s first and only IoT ecosystem brand. Haier has topped Global Major Appliances.

Brand Rankings by Euromonitor International for 15 consecutive years. Its subsidiary Haier Smart Home is among the list of Global 500 of Fortune. Haier Group is committed to working with its world-class ecosystem partners to continuously build premium brand, scenario brand and ecosystem brand, and to set up IoT ecosystems in clothing, food, accommodation, travel, health, elderly care, biomedicine and education, and to tailor personalised smart life for users around the globe.

www.haier.co.uk

 

Media Contacts:
Leanne Wellings                        Tel: 0203 8703976                     Email: leanne@agent42.co.uk

Sandra Coffey                           Tel: 0203 8703976                     Email: sandra@agent42.co.uk