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Irish National Hunt Festival 2009 |
British Raiders Seek Cheltenham Revenge at Punchestown
24/04/09
Irish raiders enjoyed a magical Cheltenham Festival in March, winning nine races, and the British raiders will be looking to make a big impact at next week’s Punchestown Festival with a formidable team set to head over.
Over 2.5 million euros in prize money will be on offer at the five-day Punchestown Festival, running from Tuesday, April 28, to Saturday, May 2, and at the very forefront of the British team is a horse owned by The Queen.
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The meeting looks set to start on a high on Tuesday when one of the greatest modern-day chasers, Master Minded, makes his first appearance in Ireland in the Kerrygold Champion Chase (6.05pm), representing British champion trainer Paul Nicholls. The six-year-old is set to be a red-hot odds-on favourite to win the two-mile contest.
On the same card, the Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle (4.20pm) is likely to feature two Irish stars in Cheltenham Festival winner Go Native, trained by Noel Meade, and Hurricane Fly from Willie Mullins’ stable. Aintree winner El Dancer, trained in Newmarket by Lucy Wadham, and Riverside Theatre, whose owner James Nesbitt is expected to be at Punchestown, are among those heading across the Irish Sea.
Mullins’ Cheltenham winner Cooldine looks set to be a warm order for the Boylesports.com Champion Novice Chase (6.40pm) on the same day.
As well as the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup, Wednesday’s card also features the Paddy Power Champion INH Flat Race (5.30pm), in which the brilliant Cheltenham winner Dunguib - trained in Co Tipperary by Philip Fenton - will be a hot favourite to bring another success for the home team.
After an incredible 10 consecutive wins in the Avon Ri Corporate and Leisure Resort Chase for the La Touche Cup (4.55pm), run over Punchestown’s unique banks course, Co Limerick trainer Enda Bolger’s stranglehold on the famous race was broken last year. But Bolger has five entries to help put the record straight in the 2009 renewal, run on Thursday.
There could be no more appropriate winner of the ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle (5.30pm) on Thursday than Punchestowns, trained by Henderson. The six-year-old’s late owner Lynn Wilson was a huge fan of the Punchestown Festival and his widow Judy and family will be travelling over. Willie Mullins could pitch either Fiveforthree or his Cheltenham winner Mikael D’Haguenet against Punchestowns.
Another Cheltenham scorer, Forpadydeplasterer - named after Bertie Ahern’s friend Paddy Reilly - could take on Master Minded in the Kerrygold Champion Chase but if not he looks set to line up against the Nicholls-trained Tatenen in Thursday’s Cathal Ryan Memorial Novice Chase (6.40pm).
The Henderson-trained Punjabi, already a dual winner at Punchestown, will look to add to his recent victory in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in Friday’s feature Rabobank Champion Hurdle (5.30pm). Two Irish-trained young pretenders, Aintree winner Solwhit, and the Mullins-trained mare Quevega could be among his rivals.
Mullins has a strong hand in Friday’s Land Rover Champion Novice Hurdle (6.05pm) with his possibles including Cousin Vinny and Mikael D’Haguenet but Bouggler, star of Emma Lavelle’s stable, will try and take the valuable prize back to Britain.
Charismatic Co. Monaghan trainer Oliver Brady has promised to break into song in the winner’s enclosure if Ebadiyan wins Saturday’s feature Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle (2.55pm), in which the Alan King-trained Silk Hall looks set to be among the British contenders.
It promises to be five days of friendly rivalry between the cream of Ireland and Britain’s jumping talent and Punchestown Racecourse is delighted to be welcoming such a strong challenge from across the Irish Sea.
In 2007, out of the 11 Grade One contests the UK team claimed four victories. This score was further improved in 2008 with an impressive UK total of five so it's all to play for this year.
Dick O’Sullivan, General Manager at Punchestown, said: “We have gone to great lengths to attract the leading British horses to Punchestown in recent seasons and are delighted that top performers such as Master Minded, Barbers Shop, Punjabi and Punchestowns will be heading over this year.
“Just as at Cheltenham, the friendly Anglo-Irish rivalry is an important part of the Punchestown Festival and the British runners will be looking to build on an impressive seven successes at last year’s meeting.
“This is also an exciting time for Irish jump racing with some brilliant young horses coming through the ranks and it is fantastic that such stars as Cooldine, Cousin Vinny, Dunguib, Ebadiyan, Forpadydeplasterer, Go Native, Hurricane Fly, Mikael D’Haguent, Quevega and Solwhit all look set to appear at Punchestown. The stage is set for five days of tremendous racing at the 2009 Irish National Hunt Festival.”
Number of British-trained winners at recent Punchestown Festivals:
2008-7, 2007-4, 2006-1, 2005-5, 2004-3, 2003-5, 2002-2, 2001-no Festival, 2000-6, 1999-8, 1998-6, 1997-5, 1996-1,1995-3, 1994-0, 1993-3, 1992-2, 1991-1, 1990-1
