William Hill Champion Chase |
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| Grade 1, Punchestown 17:25 €300,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 2m, Class 1  |
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1 Banbridge 6/1
2
Captain Guinness 6/1
3
Dinoblue 11/10F
9 ran Distances: nk, 1¼l, 13l
Time: 4m 10.00s (slow by 6.10s)
BANBRIDGE bursts through 😮
— Punchestown (@punchestownrace) April 30, 2024
A thrilling finale in the @WillHillRacing Champion Chase as Banbridge reels in Captain Guinness at the line @JosephOBrien2 lands the feature! pic.twitter.com/bEb5Qt2808
Banbridge produced a brilliant late finish to deny Captain Guinness a Champion Chase double in a pulsating renewal of the feature event on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival.
Nine runners competed, with Mares’ Chase runner-up Dinoblue as the 11-10 favorite to beat the boys and provide Willie Mullins with a sixth successive victory in this extended two-mile contest.
Captain Guinness, ridden by Rachael Blackmore, looked likely to secure another victory after taking over from the pacesetting Dysart Dynamo at the top of the home straight.
However, Mark Walsh aboard Dinoblue responded to pressure and closed in on Captain Guinness at the final fence, but she was unable to get on terms.
In a thrilling finish, Joseph O’Brien’s fast-finishing 6-1 shot Banbridge reeled in Captain Guinness on the run-in. The eight-year-old, who had disappointed in a soft-ground Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham, wore cheek pieces for the first time over this shorter trip.
Banbridge secured top honors by a neck in the hands of J J Slevin, with Dinoblue finishing a further length and a quarter away in third.
“It was a fantastic race, a great two-mile chase, and a fantastic ride from JJ. I’m delighted for Ronnie (Bartlett, owner) and everyone to have a big winner here in Punchestown,” said O’Brien.
“It wasn’t our day in Cheltenham but we’re delighted to win a big race here today. He’s been a fantastic horse and Ronnie’s patience through the autumn when the ground wasn’t right for us was really what won the race for us today. We were ready to run and had to wait.
“We know what conditions the horse performs on, it’s pretty obvious when you look at all his runs. On better ground, his runs are all very good – and when it gets softer, for whatever reason, he doesn’t perform as well.
“We took the chance at Cheltenham because it’s Cheltenham, but it didn’t work out. We freshened him up to come here and I’m delighted to win a big race with him.”
Bartlett added: “He’s a great horse, it was a great race and he was trained to perfection. It’s going to be a quiet night tonight, early to bed!
“Two or three out, you were thinking he’d maybe be placed, but he showed some turn of foot over the last.”
William Hill Champion Chase
€300,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 2m, Class 1
9 ran
Going: Yielding, Good to Yielding in places
POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 Banbridge 8 11-12 Joseph O'Brien J J Slevin 6/1
2 nk Captain Guinness 9 11-12 Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore 6/1
3 1¼ Dinoblue 7 11-5 W P Mullins Mark Walsh 11/10F
4 13 Maskada 8 11-5 Henry De Bromhead Darragh O'Keeffe 50/1
5 6½ Dysart Dynamo 8 11-12 W P Mullins Sean O'Keeffe 10/1
6 13 Saint Sam 7 11-12 W P Mullins Danny Mullins 20/1
7 1½ Ash Tree Meadow 8 11-12 Gordon Elliott Sam Ewing 50/1
PU
Fil Dor 6 11-12 Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy 20/1
UR
Gentleman De Mee 8 11-12 W P Mullins Paul Townend 11/2
Past Results:
| Year | Horse | Age/Wt/Owner | Trainer | Jockey |
| 2023 | Energumene 2/7F | 9-11-12 Tony Bloom |
Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2022 | Energumene 4/7F | 8-11-12 Tony Bloom |
Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2021 | Chacun Pour Soi 6/5F | 9-12-00 E O'Connell |
Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2020 | Abandoned (Covid-19) |
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| 2019 | Un De Sceaux 11/4 | 11-11-12 E O'Connell |
Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2018 | Un De Sceaux 9/2 | 10-11-12 E O'Connell |
Willie Mullins | Mr P W Mullins |
| 2017 | Fox Norton 5/2 | 7-11-12 Ann & Alan Potts Limited |
C L Tizzard | R M Power |
| 2016 | God's Own 9/1 | 8-11-12 Crossed Fingers P’ship |
T R George | P J Brennan |
| 2015 | Felix Yonger 5/1 | 9-11-12 Andrea & Graham Wylie |
Willie Mullins | Danny Mullins |
| 2014 | Sizing Europe 7/1 | 12-11-12 Ann & Alan Potts P’ship |
Henry de Bromhead | Andrew Lynch |
| 2013 | Sprinter Sacre 1/9 Fav |
7-11-12 Mrs Caroline Mould |
Nicky Henderson GB | Barry Geraghty |
| 2012 | Sizing Europe 8/13 Fav |
10-11-12 Ann & Alan Potts P’ship |
Henry de Bromhead | Andrew Lynch |
| 2011 | Big Zeb 9/4 |
10-11-12 Pat Redmond |
Colm Murphy | Barry Geraghty |
| 2010 | Golden Silver 12/1 |
8-11-12 Violet O’Leary |
Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2009 | Master Minded 30/100 Fav | 6-11-12 Clive Smith |
Paul Nicholls GB | Ruby Walsh |
| 2008 | Twist Magic 6/4 Fav |
6-11-12 Barry Fulton, Tony Hayward, Michael Lynch |
Paul Nicholls GB | Ruby Walsh |
| 2007 | Mansony 13/2 | 8-11-12 Michael Mulholland |
Arthur Moore | Davy Russell |
| 2006 | Newmill 5/4 Fav | 8-11-12 Mary Hayes |
John Murphy | Andrew McNamara |
| 2005 | Rathgar Beau 8/1 | 9-11-12 One-O-Eight Racing Club |
Eamon Sheehy | Shay Barry |
| 2004 | Moscow Flyer 4/11 Fav | 10-11-12 Brian Kearney |
Jessica Harrington | Barry Geraghty |
| 2003 | Flagship Uberalles 8/1 | 9-12-00 J P McManus |
Philip Hobbs GB | Richard Johnson |
| 2002 | Strong Run 4/1 | 9-12-00 Michael McGrath |
Noel Meade | Paul Carberry |
| *2001 | Micko’s Dream 5/1 | 9-12-00 Sport Racing Club |
Willie Mullins | Ruby Walsh |
| 2000 | Get Real 3/1 | 9-11-06 Pioneer Heat-Treatment |
Nicky Henderson GB | Mick Fitzgerald |
| 1999 | Celibate 7/1 | 8-11-09 Stamford Bridge P’ship |
Charlie Mann GB | Richard Dunwoody |
| 1998 | Big Matt 16/1 | 10-10-11 Ted Benfield & Bill Brown |
Nicky Henderson GB | Mick Fitzgerald |
| 1997 | Klairon Davis 11/10 Fav | 8-12-00 Chris Jones |
Arthur Moore | Francis Woods |
| 1996 | Klairon Davis 5/2 | 7-12-00 Chris Jones |
Arthur Moore | Francis Woods |
| 1995 | Strong Platinum 3/1 Fav | 7-11-01 Theresa McCoubrey |
Paddy Burke | Conor O’Dwyer |
| 1994 | Saraemma 16/1 | 8-10-12 Dermot Cox |
Homer Scott | Kevin O’Brien |
| 1993 | Viking Flagship 5/4 Fav | 6-10-07 Roach Foods Ltd |
David Nicholson GB | Richard Dunwoody |
| 1992 | The Musical Priest 8/1 | 10-10-07 Mrs Seamus Purcell |
Michael Purcell | Jason Titley |
| 1991 | Good For A Laugh 8/1 | 7-9-11 Dr Michael Smurfit |
Arthur Moore | Charlie Swan |
| 1990 | Rust Never Sleeps 14/1 | 6-10-06 D M Murphy |
Austin Leahy | Gerry O’Neill |
| 1989 | Super Furrow 12/1 | 9-12-00 Mrs M Marshall |
Jerry O’Neill | Padge Gill |
| 1988 | Flying Ferret 8/1 | 7-9-07 Mrs V O’Leary |
Tony Redmond | Brendan Powell |
| 1987 | Eddie Wee 11/2 Jt Fav | 11-10-12 Mrs Y Rock |
Billy Rock | Conor O’Dwyer |
| 1986 | Another Brownie 6/1 | 7-9-07 S Lucey |
M McGrath | J P Byrne |
| 1985 | Buck House 11/10 Fav | 7-11-07 Mrs S Purcell |
Mouse Morris | Tommy Carmody |
| 1984 | Travelowen 6/4 Fav | 7-12-00 Mrs M Kelly |
Tom Costello | Mr Tom Costello |
| 1983 | Turloughmore Lad 7/1 | 8-9-07 M McDonagh |
Paddy Norris | Paul Leech |
| 1982 | Light The Wad 3/1 | 9-11-03 Exors of Patrick Downey |
Dessie Hughes | Tom Morgan |
| 1981 | Light The Wad 6/1 | 8-10-10 Patrick Downey |
Dessie Hughes | Frank Leavy |
| 1980 | Paddy Bouler 7/4 Fav | 7-11-04 P Rooney |
Pat Rooney | S Lynch |
