William Hill Champion Chase |
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| Grade 1, Punchestown 18:05 €300,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 2m, Class 1  |
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1 Il Etait Temps 8/11F
2 Marine Nationale 11/4
3
Energumene 28/1
5 ran Distances: 5l, 23l, 10l
Time: 4m 4.90s (fast by 3.40s)
Cheltenham hero Il Etait Temps follows up in the @williamhillire Champion Chase! @punchestownrace pic.twitter.com/cMLNnHW5kZ
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 28, 2026
Il Etait Temps once again confirmed his standing at the summit of the two-mile chasing division with a performance of authority, bringing up an eighth success at the highest level.
Adding to his Cheltenham Champion Chase triumph, the Willie Mullins-trained star proved a class apart in a race that echoed last year’s narrative, when Marine Nationale completed the same double.
On this occasion, Marine Nationale helped force the pace alongside Majborough, while Paul Townend was content to bide his time aboard the 8/11 favourite, settling Il Etait Temps in mid-division of the five-runner field.
Having allowed his mount time to recover from an early mistake, Townend gradually increased the pressure approaching the business end, edging closer before asserting his authority with a fluent jump two from home.
From there, Il Etait Temps stretched clear with purpose, leaving Marine Nationale – who has endured a disrupted campaign – trailing in his wake, ultimately scoring by five lengths. Energumene, the veteran dual Champion Chase hero, stayed on for a distant third in what proved to be his final appearance before retirement.
Mullins said: “He is a hell of a horse and when you look at him, he doesn’t exactly scream a big chaser to you. He isn’t a big horse, but he is strong.
“He has huge reserves as, having made that mistake, I thought ‘wow’ as he came up beside Marine Nationale afterwards at the third-last. Marine Nationale is a fair horse to beat as he has a fair engine.
“To do what he did having fallen at Ascot (Clarence House Chase in January) and come back to win at Cheltenham was special, when Paul was in top-flight jockey mode.
“Majborough needs a longer trip, he might be better going slower over a longer tip and getting his act together.”
Reflecting on the retirement of Energumene, he added: “He retires nice and sound and ran a cracker. He gave us all such a great day out at Fairyhouse (at Easter) when he rolled back the years.
“It is too sunny (ground-wise) for him today, but he still put up a great battle. Winning his first Champion Chase in Cheltenham is a great memory. He had that speed and ability to jump and that marked him out.”
Barry Connell, trainer of Marine Nationale, said: “I’m delighted with the run, but he has not had the bounce of the ball this year. He jumps fantastically well with those cheekpieces on and was foot-perfect, but I’d say he is a little bit flat.
“Normally when he lands at the back of the second-last, speed is his forte and he looked like he ran a bit flat. All credit to the winner and they pulled a long way clear of the rest of them.
“I don’t think his hold-up affected him and while I knew Eachtotheirown’s (winner of the Grade One Champion Novice Hurdle earlier in the day) work was excellent, Marine Nationale did a great piece of work at Fairyhouse three or four weeks ago but his work since has been OK.
“My own inclination is that he is a little flat, but take nothing away from the winner. There is no doubt he is a worthy winner on the day.
“This sets us up for a nice campaign next season and hopefully we’ll have a bit luck with him.”
William Hill Champion Chase
€300,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 2m, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Yielding, Good to Yielding in places
Past Results:
Age/Wt: 8-11-12
Owner: Barry Connell
Trainer: Barry Connell
Jockey: Sean Flanagan
Age/Wt: 8-11-12
Owner: R A Bartlett
Trainer: Joseph O'Brien
Jockey: J J Slevin
Age/Wt: 9-11-12
Owner: Tony Bloom
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend
Age/Wt: 8-11-12
Owner: Tony Bloom
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend
Age/Wt: 9-12-00
Owner: E O'Connell
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend
(Covid-19)
Age/Wt: 11-11-12
Owner: E O'Connell
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend
Age/Wt: 10-11-12
Owner: E O'Connell
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Mr P W Mullins
Age/Wt: 7-11-12
Owner: Ann & Alan Potts Limited
Trainer: C L Tizzard
Jockey: R M Power
Age/Wt: 8-11-12
Owner: Crossed Fingers P’ship
Trainer: T R George
Jockey: P J Brennan
Age/Wt: 9-11-12
Owner: Andrea & Graham Wylie
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Danny Mullins
Age/Wt: 12-11-12
Owner: Ann & Alan Potts P’ship
Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
Jockey: Andrew Lynch
Age/Wt: 7-11-12
Owner: Mrs Caroline Mould
Trainer: Nicky Henderson GB
Jockey: Barry Geraghty
Age/Wt: 10-11-12
Owner: Ann & Alan Potts P’ship
Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
Jockey: Andrew Lynch
Age/Wt: 10-11-12
Owner: Pat Redmond
Trainer: Colm Murphy
Jockey: Barry Geraghty
Age/Wt: 8-11-12
Owner: Violet O’Leary
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend
Age/Wt: 6-11-12
Owner: Clive Smith
Trainer: Paul Nicholls GB
Jockey: Ruby Walsh
Age/Wt: 6-11-12
Owner: Barry Fulton, Tony Hayward, Michael Lynch
Trainer: Paul Nicholls GB
Jockey: Ruby Walsh
Age/Wt: 8-11-12
Owner: Michael Mulholland
Trainer: Arthur Moore
Jockey: Davy Russell
Age/Wt: 8-11-12
Owner: Mary Hayes
Trainer: John Murphy
Jockey: Andrew McNamara
Age/Wt: 9-11-12
Owner: One-O-Eight Racing Club
Trainer: Eamon Sheehy
Jockey: Shay Barry
Age/Wt: 10-11-12
Owner: Brian Kearney
Trainer: Jessica Harrington
Jockey: Barry Geraghty
Age/Wt: 9-12-00
Owner: J P McManus
Trainer: Philip Hobbs GB
Jockey: Richard Johnson
Age/Wt: 9-12-00
Owner: Michael McGrath
Trainer: Noel Meade
Jockey: Paul Carberry
Age/Wt: 9-12-00
Owner: Sport Racing Club
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Ruby Walsh
Age/Wt: 9-11-06
Owner: Pioneer Heat-Treatment
Trainer: Nicky Henderson GB
Jockey: Mick Fitzgerald
Age/Wt: 8-11-09
Owner: Stamford Bridge P’ship
Trainer: Charlie Mann GB
Jockey: Richard Dunwoody
Age/Wt: 10-10-11
Owner: Ted Benfield & Bill Brown
Trainer: Nicky Henderson GB
Jockey: Mick Fitzgerald
Age/Wt: 8-12-00
Owner: Chris Jones
Trainer: Arthur Moore
Jockey: Francis Woods
Age/Wt: 7-12-00
Owner: Chris Jones
Trainer: Arthur Moore
Jockey: Francis Woods
Age/Wt: 7-11-01
Owner: Theresa McCoubrey
Trainer: Paddy Burke
Jockey: Conor O’Dwyer
Age/Wt: 8-10-12
Owner: Dermot Cox
Trainer: Homer Scott
Jockey: Kevin O’Brien
Age/Wt: 6-10-07
Owner: Roach Foods Ltd
Trainer: David Nicholson GB
Jockey: Richard Dunwoody
Age/Wt: 10-10-07
Owner: Mrs Seamus Purcell
Trainer: Michael Purcell
Jockey: Jason Titley
Age/Wt: 7-9-11
Owner: Dr Michael Smurfit
Trainer: Arthur Moore
Jockey: Charlie Swan
Age/Wt: 6-10-06
Owner: D M Murphy
Trainer: Austin Leahy
Jockey: Gerry O’Neill
Age/Wt: 9-12-00
Owner: Mrs M Marshall
Trainer: Jerry O’Neill
Jockey: Padge Gill
Age/Wt: 7-9-07
Owner: Mrs V O’Leary
Trainer: Tony Redmond
Jockey: Brendan Powell
Age/Wt: 11-10-12
Owner: Mrs Y Rock
Trainer: Billy Rock
Jockey: Conor O’Dwyer
Age/Wt: 7-9-07
Owner: S Lucey
Trainer: M McGrath
Jockey: J P Byrne
Age/Wt: 7-11-07
Owner: Mrs S Purcell
Trainer: Mouse Morris
Jockey: Tommy Carmody
Age/Wt: 7-12-00
Owner: Mrs M Kelly
Trainer: Tom Costello
Jockey: Mr Tom Costello
Age/Wt: 8-9-07
Owner: M McDonagh
Trainer: Paddy Norris
Jockey: Paul Leech
Age/Wt: 9-11-03
Owner: Exors of Patrick Downey
Trainer: Dessie Hughes
Jockey: Tom Morgan
Age/Wt: 8-10-10
Owner: Patrick Downey
Trainer: Dessie Hughes
Jockey: Frank Leavy
Age/Wt: 7-11-04
Owner: P Rooney
Trainer: Pat Rooney
Jockey: S Lynch
