Willie Mullins dominated the Grade 1 proceedings on day one of the 2025 Punchestown Festival, but it was Barry Connell’s Marine Nationale (2/1) who won the Grade 1 William Hill Champion Chase.
The Closutton handler won both the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle with Irancy (18/1), and then followed up in the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase with Champ Kiely (22/1).
Irancy was ridden by Mark Walsh, while Danny Mullins was the successful rider on board Champ Kiely, meaning the reigning champion jockey and Closutton number one, Paul Townend, ended the day without a winner.
Mullins completed a treble on the card courtesy of Wonderful Everyday (16/1) and Ruth Dudfield in the €100,000 Goffs Defender Bumper.
Two British-trained winners
The visitors won two of the opening three races of the 2025 Punchestown Festival.
Buy Some Time (50/1) led home a cross-channel trained 1-2 as the father and son combination of Mike and Sam Smith claimed the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final Handicap Hurdle ahead of the Fay Bramley-handled Almuhit (11/2) under Richie McLernon.
The Listed Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle was another 1-2 for the British-based runners, as Ascending Lark (8/1) came late to defeat Jonjo O’Neill’s Wilful (13/2).
Wexford handler Richard O’Keeffe had a day to remember when providing the winner and runner-up in the Kildare Hunt Club Cross Country Chase for the Ladies Perpetual Cup.
The winner, Transcript (22/1), ridden by Tony Doyle, and the Barry Stone-guided runner-up Turnupdevolume (5/1), both carried the winning conditioners colours.
The Willie Coonan Memorial INH Flat Race went to the Gavin Cromwell-trained debutant Bud Fox (16/5). Ridden by Derek O’Connor the four-year-old could be picked out a long way from home.
