Bective Stud Champion Novice Hurdle
QuinnBet
Grade 1, Punchestown 16:15
€125,000 guaranteed
5yo plus
2m 100y, Class 1   
Tuesday 26th April 2022

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1 Mighty Potter 20/1
2 Gatsby Grey 100/1
3 Sir Gerhard 4/7F
5 ran Distances: 4l, 6½l, 13l
Time: 4m 2.30s (slow by 13.30s)

A field of five runners went to post for the first Grade One of this year’s Festival, with much of the pre-race focus on the Willie Mullins-trained pair of Sir Gerhard and and Dysart Dynamo.

Sir Gerhard was favourite to supplement success in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, with stablemate Dysart Dynamo – a faller in the Supreme – widely considered his biggest threat.

Dysart Dynamo adopted his customary front-running role from flag-fall, with Sir Gerhard and Mighty Potter always his nearest pursuers.

The latter was pulled up in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but raced with far more enthusiasm on this occasion, with Jack Kennedy doing a good job of keeping Sir Gerhard and Paul Townend in a pocket.

The gap came for Sir Gerhard before the home turn, but he was unable to keep tabs on 20-1 shot Mighty Potter, who fiddled his way over the final flight to seal a four-length verdict.

Elliott, completing a quick-fire double following the earlier success of Party Central in the opener, said: “It’s brilliant to win the first two races. I know it’s not going to be smooth sailing all week and when Willie gets going it will probably be like a steam train!

“I’m very lucky with all the support I have in the yard.”

He added: “Being honest, I thought Party Central was my best chance of the day. I was humming and hawing whether I’d run this horse. We walked the track a couple of times and said we’d take our chance.

“I thought Jack gave him a beautiful ride, he held his position the whole way. The horse is a chaser for the future and we’re very happy.

“He did the splits and was lame for a few days after Cheltenham, nothing seriously wrong with him but he just wasn’t right and came home very light.

“That was great and he’ll going chasing next year.”

Mullins said of his beaten pair: “Sir Gerhard was beaten here last year, so maybe he doesn’t like Punchestown, and Dysart Diamond had a heart fibrillation, so that’s what happened him.”

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Champion Novice Hurdle
€125,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 2m 100y, Class 1
5 ran

Going: Good to Yielding, Yielding in places

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1     Mighty Potter 5 11-12 Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy 20/1
2
4 Gatsby Grey 6 11-12 Oliver McKiernan Barry Browne 100/1
3
Sir Gerhard 7 11-12 W P Mullins Paul Townend 4/7F
4
13 Vina Ardanza 5 11-12 Gordon Elliott Davy Russell 66/1
5
dist Dysart Dynamo 6 11-12 W P Mullins Mr P W Mullins 13/8

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Past Results:

Year Horse/SP Age/Wt Owner Trainer Jockey
2021 Echoes In The Rain 8/13F 5-11-07
Barnane Stud
Willie Mullins Mr P W Mullins
2020 Abandoned
(Covid-19)
     
2019 Klassical Dream 8/13F 5-11-12
Mrs Joanne Coleman
Willie Mullins R Walsh
2018 Draconien 25/1 5-11-12
Clipper Logistics Group Ltd
Willie Mullins N D Fehily
2017 Cilaos Emery 8/1 5-11-12
Luke McMahon
Willie Mullins David Mullins
2016 Don't Touch It 16/1 6-11-12
J P McManus
Mrs J Harrington B J Geraghty
2015 Douvan 1/6F 5-11-12
Susannah Ricci
Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh
2014 Faugheen 1/2F 6-11-12
Susannah Ricci
Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh
2013 Jezki 2/1 5-11-12
J P McManus
Jessica Harrington Barry Geraghty
2012 Alderwood 5/2 8-11-12
J P McManus
Tom Mullins A P McCoy
2011 Shot From The Hip 11/2 7-11-12
J P McManus
Edward O’Grady A P McCoy
2010 Blackstair
mountain
5/1
5-11-12
Susannah Ricci
Willie Mullins Paul Townend
2009 Hurricane Fly 4/6 Fav 5-11-12
George Creight
on/Rose Boyd Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh
2008 Jered 7/4 Fav 6-11-12
J P McManus
Noel Meade A P McCoy
2007 Clopf 7/4 Fav 6-11-12
Bernard Heffernan
Edward O’Grady Barry Geraghty
2006 Iktitaf 8/1 5-11-11
Mrs Pat Sloan
Noel Meade Ruby Walsh
2005 Wild Passion 7/4 Fav 5-11-11
Des Sharkey
Noel Meade Paul Carberry
2004 Brave Inca 2/1 Fav 6-11-12
Novices Syndicate
Colm Murphy Barry Cash
2003 Back In Front 4/11 Fav 6-11-12
Dermot Cox
Edward O’Grady Norman Williamson
2002 Scottish Memories 11/4 6-11-12
Mary Halligan
Noel Meade Paul Carberry
*2001 Ned Kelly 4/5 Fav 5-11-11
Sue Magnier
Edward O’Grady Norman Williamson
2000 Moscow Flyer 10/1 6-12-00 Brian Kearney Jessica Harrington Barry Geraghty
1999 Cardinal Hill 1/2 Fav 5-11-13
J P McManus
Noel Meade Charlie Swan
1998 His Song 6/4 5-11-13
David Lloyd
Mouse Morris A P McCoy
1997 Midnight Legend 7/4 Fav 6-12-00
Hilda Clarke
David Nicholson GB Richard Johnson
1996 Dance Beat 7/2 5-11-08
Mrs E Queally
Jessica Harrington John Shortt
1995 Hotel Minella 5/4 Fav 8-12-00
John J Nallen
Aidan O’Brien Charlie Swan
1994 Klairon Davis 7/4 Fav 5-11-13
Chris Jones
Arthur Moore Tom Horgan
1993 Bayrouge 7/2 5-11-08
Joe Crowley
Anne-Marie O’Brien Richard Dunwoody
1992 Fortune And Fame 11/4 Fav 5-11-13
Michael Smurfit
Dermot Weld Brendan Sheridan
1991 Young Pokey 5/2 6-12-00
Maurice Oberstein
Oliver Sherwood GB Jamie Osborne
1990 Vestris Abu 5/2 4-10-05
Mrs C Shubotham
Jim Bolger Charlie Swan
1989 The Proclamation 9/2 6-10-13
J M Whaley
Paddy Prendergast Richard Dunwoody
1988 El-Sid Senor 9/4 Fav 5-11-07
T Miley
Francis Flood Frank Berry
1987 High Plains 8/1 5-11-05
Raymond Mould
David Nicholson GB Richard Dunwoody
1986 Barney Burnett Evs Fav 6-11-09
P Donovan
Ruby Walsh Brendan Sheridan
1985 Hungary Hur 5/1 6-11-06
Mrs A Fegan
Paddy Mullins Tony Mullins
1984 Gav’s Delight 2/5 Fav 6-11-07
N McGrady
Michael Cunningham Ken Morgan
1983 Dawn Run 5/2 Fav 5-11-07
Mrs Charmian Hill
Paddy Mullins Tony Mullins
1982 Bustineto 5/2 4-10-05
Timothy Kinsella
Mick O’Toole Niall Madden
1981 Tie Anchor 2/1 Fav 4-10-09
Daniel Hale
Paddy Prendergast Tommy McGivern
1980 Deep Gale 7/1 7-11-08
J P McManus
Edward O’Grady Mr Frank Codd

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