UPDATED 12:21PM, APR 28 2021
Willie Mullins, who dominated day one of Punchestown with five winners on Tuesday, has another strong hand to play on Wednesday with 19 runners and market moves hint at another fruitful day for the top trainer.
Blue Sari has been pulled up and a faller on his last two starts, but Paddy Power make him 15-8 (from 2) for the conditions hurdle at 4.50, while stablemate Galopin Des Champs, successful in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, is 2-1 (from 9-4) to follow up in the Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle (5.20).
Paddy Power s Punchestown movers on day two
UPDATED 8:53AM, APR 29 2021
Galopin Des Champs did not enter spring as Willie Mullins most exciting staying novice chase prospect for next season, but he is now coming out of it as that.
Now 8-1 clear favourite with both Ladbrokes and Paddy Power to follow in the footsteps of stablemate Monkfish by winning the 2022 Brown Advisory Novices Chase, Galopin Des Champs produced a performance right out of the top drawer to topple two other festival winners from last month.
It is only 80 days since Galopin Des Champs was sent off at 100-1 at the Dublin Racing Festival. He was only sixth to Appreciate It in the Chanelle Pharma Novice Hurdle, but he has turned inside out in the last two and a half months and backed up his Martin Pipe victory at Cheltenham with an even more emphatic one here.
Galopin Des Champs keeps up momentum for reigning champion. By Press Association Wednesday 28 Apr 2021, 6:47 PM Apr 28th 2021, 6:47 PM 2,674 Views 0 Comments
Paul Townend on Galopin Des Champs comes home to win.
Image: James Crombie/INPHO
Image: James Crombie/INPHO
Updated Apr 28th 2021, 6:47 PM
PAUL TOWNEND STRETCHED his lead to six over Rachael Blackmore in the race to be crowned Ireland’s champion National Hunt jockey with victory on Galopin Des Champs at Punchestown today.
Townend had just the two rides to Blackmore’s four, but it was enough to see the three-time champion take a step closer to retaining his title with the scores standing at 97-91
Punchestown Wednesday preview: View from connections
By Sporting Life
British raider Clan Des Obeaux primed
Paul Nicholls is hoping for a bold show from
Clan Des Obeaux as he clashes with Al Boum Photo in the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup.
The sole British challenger certainly has the right credentials to mix it with the best of the Irish – and was right back to his very best when winning by 26 lengths at Aintree this month.
However, he will face a completely different test to the one he passed that day.
“He won well at Aintree the other day, but he has obviously won the King George twice – and going right-handed seems to suit him better,” said Nicholls. “He’s a much more mature horse now. Cheltenham doesn’t suit him at all – that race and the ground at the time. This is much better for him.
Updated / Tuesday, 27 Apr 2021
07:23
Ruby Walsh and Chacun Pour Soi
Ahead of the start of the Puncestown Festival, Ruby Walsh spoke on RTÉ s Game On, where he offered his thoughts on the Tuesday s and Wednesday s Grade One contests.
Tuesday 4.15 eCOMM Merchant Solutions Champion Novice Hurdle
With no Appreciate It, I d say Paul Townend has gone for Blue Lord because he finished second to Bob Olinger and was going to finish second to Appreciate It at Cheltenham when he fell at the last. They re the two outstanding novices.
He s gone for Blue Lord probably on that basis, but Echoes In Rain was incredibly impressive at Fairyhouse where Paul rode her but he still opts for Blue Lord.