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Planet Takes Gold at Punchestown
22/04/10

An action-packed renewal of the feature Grade 1 Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup saw Planet Of Sound, trained in Somerset by Philip Hobbs, spring a 14/1 surprise when scoring by three and a half lengths.

Planet Of Sound
© racing-images.co.uk

Denman, who was sent off 11/8 favourite, finished only fourth, although the biggest cheer came for the 11-year-old 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition who was retired after finishing a gallant second.

“I’m chuffed to bits,” said Hobbs of the winner. “He’s always been a very nice horse. It was his first start over three miles but he stayed on very well today. He made one mistake down the far side, but apart from that jumped very well.

“He’s always looked very good, but at Cheltenham he choked and so we put a tongue tie on him today. He gurgled that day but has never done it before or since, at home or on the track. He was very flat after that race as well, which is unlike him, he’s a very genuine horse. He has been a forgotten horse and when I saw 25/1 in today’s paper I couldn’t believe it!

“We knew he’d get the trip and he stayed on well. We can dream all summer now. He has plenty of pace go the King George would probably be the aim before Christmas and we can dream on after that. He could start off in something like the Betfair Chase at Haydock.”

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary took a break from the current aviation problems to pay tribute to his star horse War Of Attrition.

“Apart from the birth of my children, this horse has given me the best days of my life,” said O’Leary. “Winning the Gold Cup was probably the greatest day but was closely followed by his success at Punchestown three weeks later. As long I own racehorses we’ll never repeat it.

“There’s no way he’ll run again and the plan is take him home in another week or two. He’ll go hunting in the winter and keep active.”

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Denman, said: “Ruby and I spoke at length beforehand and we both thought he’d be OK today and he ran some race given the ground he gave away.

“He’ll stick to left-handed tracks from now on. After he jumped the third I said to (partner) Georgie (Browne) that he was in trouble then because he was not going to win when he jumped like that.”