Growise Champion Novice Chase |
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| Grade 1, Punchestown 18:40 Race Value: €94,999 5yo plus 3m 1f  |
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| Tuesday 28th April 2015 |
1 Valseur Lido 15/2
2 Wounded Warrior 9/1
3 Apache Stronghold 5/1
5 ran Distances: 2¼l, 1½l, ½l
TIME 6m 26.80s (slow by 11.80s)
Valseur Lido upstages favourite Don Poli at Punchestown
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Having looked every inch a future Gold Cup contender when completing a hat-trick over fences in the RSA Chase at last month's Cheltenham Festival, Don Poli was the 4-9 favourite to bring his campaign to the perfect end.
The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old raced lazily throughout - just as he did at Cheltenham - only this time the response was minimal when Bryan Cooper asked for maximum effort and he finished well beaten.
Valseur Lido, third behind another Mullins stablemate in Vautour in the JLT Novices' Chase at Cheltenham, was a 15-2 chance off the back of a disappointing run in the Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse.
But stepped up to beyond three miles for the first time, Ruby Walsh's mount travelled sweetly throughout and picked up from the final fence to beat the front-running Wounded Warrior by two and a quarter lengths.
Mullins said: "It's nice to have a nice reserve and for a team like Gigginstown to have three runners in one race.
"He probably just preferred that ground better than Don Poli. It was maybe too fast for him.
"I think Don Poli wants a longer trip. The Gold Cup is a fair long trip with the pace they go.
"This fellow (Valseur Lido) could go anywhere also. I've always thought he was a fair horse.
"He's not too bad on his day. He mightn't have the same constitution as Don Poli but he's a nice horse to have and for Gigginstown to have."
Growise Champion Novice Chase (Grade 1)
€94,999 added, 5yo plus, 3m 1f, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Good to Yielding
| Pos | Dist | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Valseur Lido (FR) 15/2 | R Walsh 11-10 |
W P Mullins | 6 | |
| 2nd | 2¼ | Wounded Warrior (IRE) 9/1 | P Townend 11-10 |
N Meade | 6 |
| 3rd | 1½ | Apache Stronghold (IRE) 5/1 | P Carberry 11-10 |
N Meade | 7 |
| 4th | ½ | Irish Cavalier (IRE) 25/1 | N D Fehily 11-10 |
Miss R Curtis | 6 |
| 5th | 6½ | Don Poli (IRE) 4/9f | B J Cooper 11-10 |
W P Mullins | 6 |
Past Results:
Year Horse Age/Wt Owner Trainer Jockey SP
2014 Carlingford Lough
2013 Mount Benbulben 8-11-10 Barry Connell Gordon Elliott Danny Mullins 14/1
2012 Sir Des Champs 6-11-10 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins Davy Russell 2/7 Fav
2011 Quito De La Roque 7-11-10 Gigginstown House Stud Colm Murphy Davy Russell 7/2
2010 Kempes 7-11-10 J P McManus Willie Mullins A P McCoy 9/1
2009 Rare Bob 7-11-10 D A Syndicate Dessie Hughes Paddy Flood 7/1
2008 Air Force One 6-11-10 Brian Walsh (Co. Kildare) Charlie Mann GB Noel Fehily 2/1
2007 Offshore Account 7-11-10 Brian Polly Charlie Swan Denis O’Regan 16/1
2006 Missed That 7-11-10 Violet O’Leary Willie Mullins David Casey 4/1
2005 Forget The Past 7-11-10 Sean Mulryan Michael O’Brien Timmy Murphy 7/4 Fav
2004 Lord Sam 8-11-08 Plain Peeps Victor Dartnall GB Jim Culloty 5/4 Fav
2003 Heart Midoltian 6-11-00 Mrs Seamus Neville Seamus Neville Davy Russell 16/1
2002 Native Endurance 6-10-09 Patrick J O’Donovan Paddy Mullins David Casey 11/2
*2001 Sackville 8-11-12 Seamus O’Farrell Frances Crowley David Casey 4/11 Fav
2000 Zourito 7-12-00 Wilson Dennison Arthur Moore Barry Cash 100/30
1999 Ferbet Junior 6-12-00 David Attwood Jessica Harrington Barry Geraghty 3/1
1998 Fiddlers Tune 8-11-05 Herb M Stanley Michael Cunningham A P McCoy 7/2
1997 Linton Rocks 8-11-08 Hon. Mrs Townshend Tim Thomson Jones GB Richard Dunwoody 7/4 Fav
1996 Shanagarry 7-12-00 Patrick Heffernan Patrick Heffernan Conor O’Dwyer 3/1
1995 Camitrov 5-11-03 Jim Lewis Simon Christian GB Richard Dunwoody 7/2
1994 Belvederian 7-12-00 Tony O’Reilly Mouse Morris Graham Bradley 8/11 Fav
1993 Force Seven 6-11-05 Sheila Moore Paddy Mullins Trevor Horgan 11/4 Fav
1992 Milford Quay 9-11-10 W A Jones Martin Pipe GB Peter Scudamore 15/8 Fav
* Run at Fairyhouse
