Barberstown Castle Novice Chase
Grade 1, Punchestown 18:35 €125,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 2m, Class 1
Tweet Thursday 28th April 2022

1 Blue Lord 2/1F
2 Coeur Sublime 20/1
3 Gabynako 3/1
6 ran NR: Gentleman De Mee
Distances: hd, 9l, 4l Time: 4m 5.80s (slow by 5.80s)

Blue Lord just takes the @Barberstown Castle Novice Chase @Punchestown. The Closutton bandwagon rolls on for @PTownend riding for @WillieMullinsNH and @simon_munir pic.twitter.com/SqgvguJzmd https://t.co/YKPLQZMXH9 via @RacingBetter

— RacingBetter (@RacingBetter) April 29, 2022

Having disappointed slightly in the Arkle at Cheltenham when only third behind Edwardstone, Blue Lord gained compensation in the colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

The race said plenty for Willie Mullins’ strength in the division when, despite the short-priced morning favourite Gentleman De Mee being a non-runner, he was still able to field Saint Sam, Haut En Couleurs and the eventual winner.

It was Saint Sam who took them along with Rachael Blackmore keeping tabs on him on Coeur Sublime while Arkle runner-up Gabynako and Blue Lord watched on.

Saint Sam blew his chance with a mistake at the second-last and by then Gabynako was outpaced and although Paul Townend looked confident on Blue Lord, Blackmore kept her mount going and only went down by a head to the 2-1 favourite.

Mullins has now won seven of the eight Grade Ones at the meeting so far.

“I was concentrating more on the horse in front, Saint Sam, and how he was jumping. He was fiddling a few of the fences and I was wondering if there was enough pace in front for this horse and Haut En Couleurs as well,” said Mullins.

“They quickened a bit about the fourth-last and I thought Saint Sam was running a cracker until he genuflected at the second-last.

“I couldn’t believe how much Paul pulled out of our fellow, I thought Coeur Sublime had stolen the race between the last two.

“Paul said to me he didn’t want to appear in front too soon because at Leopardstown when he appeared in front the horse looked all over the place and indeed he did that again today.

“Once he gets to the front he just thinks the race is over and he loses concentration. Paul timed it perfectly.”

Barberstown Castle Novice Chase (Grade 1)
€125,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 2m, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Good to Yielding, Yielding in places

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1     Blue Lord 7 11-12 W P Mullins Paul Townend 2/1F
2 hd Coeur Sublime 7 11-12 Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore 20/1
3 9 Gabynako 7 11-12 Gavin Cromwell Keith Donoghue 3/1
4 4 Maskada 6 11-5 1 Henry De Bromhead Darragh O'Keeffe 66/1
5 2¾ Haut En Couleurs 5 11-12 W P Mullins B J Cooper 3/1
6 6½ Saint Sam 5 11-12 W P Mullins Sean O'Keeffe 4/1
NR 4 -52111 Gentleman De Mee 6 11-12 W P Mullins NON RUNNER

PAST RESULTS
Year Horse Age/Wt Owner Trainer Jockey SP
2021 Energumene 7 11-12 Tony Bloom W P Mullins Paul Townend 2/5F
2020 Abandoned - Covid-19
2019 Chacun Pour Soi 7-11-10 Mrs S Ricci Willie Mullins Robbie Power 3/1
2018 Footpad 6-11-10 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Willie Mullins DA Jacob 2/5F
2017 Great Field 6-11-10 J P McManus Willie Mullins J S McGarvey 9/10F
2016 Douvan 6-11-10 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 2/9F
2015 Un De Sceaux 7-11-10 Edward O’Connell Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 1/10 Fav
2014 God’s Own 6-11-10 Crossed Fingers P’ship Tom George GB Barry Geraghty 25/1
2013 Arvika Ligeionniere 8-11-10 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 7/2 Fav
2012 Lucky William 8-11-10 Garden Kingdom Synd. Tom Cooper Barry Geraghty 4/1
2011 Captain Chris 7-11-12 Diana Whateley Philip Hobbs GB Richard Johnson 4/6 Fav
2010 Captain Cee Bee 9-11-12 J P McManus Eddie Harty A P McCoy 4/1
2009 Barker 8-11-12 E Duignan Willie Mullins David Casey 11/2
2008 Big Zeb 7-11-12 Patrick Redmond Colm Murphy Barry Geraghty 4/1
2007 Another Promise 8-11-12 Geoff Hubbard Racing Ferdy Murphy GB Graham Lee 5/1
2006 Accordion Etoile 7-11-12 Banjo Syndicate Paul Nolan John Cullen 9/4
2005 War Of Attrition 6-11-12 Gigginstown House Stud Mouse Morris Conor O’Dwyer 3/1
2004 Say Again 8-11-12 Sean Duggan Paul Nolan John Cullen 6/1
2003 Le Roi Miguel 5-11-05 Judy Stewart Paul Nicholls GB Ruby Walsh 8/11 Fav
2002 Moscow Flyer 8-11-12 Brian Kearney Jessica Harrington Barry Geraghty 2/5 Fav
*2001 Alcapone 7-11-12 Castleblake Racing Synd. Mouse Morris David Casey 10/1
2000 Tiutchev 7-11-09 Liars Poker Partnership Nicky Henderson GB Mick Fitzgerald 9/10 Fav
1999 Sydney Twothousand 9-11-05 Mrs Michael Watt Noel Meade Norman Williamson 11/2
1998 Direct Route 7-11-09 Michael Thompson Howard Johnson GB Paul Carberry 11/10 Fav
1997 Jeffell 7-12-00 Thomas Bailey Arthur Moore Francis Woods 11/8 Fav
1996 Ventana Canyon 7-12-00 Philip Myerscough Edward O’Grady Richard Dunwoody 5/4 Fav
1995 Strong Platinum 7-12-00 Theresa McCoubrey Paddy Burke Conor O’Dwyer 7/4
1994 Oh So Grumpy 6-11-08 Mrs E Queally Jessica Harrington Jamie Osborne 20/1
1993 Viking Flagship 6-12-00 Roach Foods Ltd David Nicholson GB Richard Dunwoody 4/1
1992 Classical Charm 9-11-08 Al O’Connell Al O’Connell Ken Morgan 8/1