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Impaire Et Passe wins Champion Novice Hurdle

Impaire Et Passe wins Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle.

Impaire Et Passe (1/3f) won the Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle this evening at Punchestown.

It was a Grade 1 double on the day for trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Paul Townend.

The French-bred Impaire Et Passe had a seven and a half lengths victory over High Definition as he added to his Grade 1 tally.

Townend’s body language was not one of ultra confidence as pace-setting stablemate Champ Kiely and High Definition opened up a three-length gap turning into the straight but the Cork jockey didn’t panic.

He came alongside the Joseph O’Brien-trained former Derby favourite High Definition jumping the last, and went on to claim a fifth consecutive win.

State Man wins Paddy Power Champion Hurdle at Punchestown

State Man wins Paddy Power Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.

State Man won his fourth Grade 1 of the campaign with a pillar-to-post victory in the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle on the penultimate day of Punchestown 2023.

The Willie Mullins-handler horse bounced back from his first defeat of the year behind Constitution Hill at Cheltenham to score by three lengths from his younger stablemate Vauban.

The Marie Donnelly-owned six-year-old jumped well until the last but had more than enough in the tank to pick up once more under jockey Paul Townend.

Winning rider Paul Townend said:

“He’s been beating these horses all year and thankfully he was able to do it again today. As I said when I made it in Leopardstown (in the Irish Champion Hurdle in February), I thought he’d be better with a lead and it was probably the same here but he just looks to be the best of that bunch.”

€500,000 Qualimita shatters Goffs Punchestown Sale Record

Qualimita shattered the Goffs Punchestown Sale record when selling for €500,000. Credit: Goffs.

A €500,000 top lot smashed the record for the Goffs Punchestown Sale on Thursday night.

The sale that boasts Honeysuckle as its most famous graduate saw another potential future star take her turn in the ring as Colin Bowe’s Qualimita (Lot 14), a four-year-old daughter of Muhtathir sell to Mags O’Toole for €500,000. The mare put up one of the performances of the season when winning on her debut at Fairyhouse last Friday.

Histrionic (Lot 19), a son of Walk In The Park, from Denis Murphy’s Ballyboy Stables, fresh from an impressive 4YO maiden win at Tralee last weekend, sold to Tom Malone and Paul Nicholls for €450,000, also surpassing the previous record Punchestown price of €370,000 by some margin.

Almost half the catalogue sold for €200,000 or more, and among the other highlights were Lough Owel (Lot 5), another maiden winner from Fairyhouse last weekend that sold to Aidan O’Ryan and Gordon Elliott for €255,000.

Elliott also went to €235,000 for Bleu De Vassy (Lot 20) from Patrick Turley’s Kingsfield Stables who finished a close runner up at Necarne on Saturday nine lengths clear of the rest of the field, and paid €200,000 for Baltimore House Stables’ The Enabler (Lot 4), a son of Walk In The Park from the family of Denman who impressed when runner up at Curraghmore.

Top class breeding prospect Dolcita (Lot 1) by Saint des Saints was first into the ring and set the tone for an evening of spectacular trade, as the Willie Mullins-trained black type performer and Irish Grand National fourth sold to Cyril Crowe for €240,000.

Sam Curling’s Boston Boy (Lot 15) was runner up to Histrionic at Tralee last Friday and caught the eye of Stroud Coleman and Jonjo O’Neill who went to €230,000 for the son of Black Sam Belamy, and O’Neill also signed for Dromahane 4YO maiden winner Fortunate Man (Lot 6) from Moate Stables for €210,000.

Goffs Punchestown Sale 2023:

Offered: 22
Sold: 20 (91%)
Aggregate: €3,940,000 (+37%)
Average: €197,000 (+23%)
Median: €170,000 (+26%)
Top price: €500,000

Third Punchestown Champion Stayers Hurdle for Klassical Dream

Klassical Dream won his third Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown. Credit: David Betts.

Klassical Dream won the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon for the third year in-a-row.

Ridden by Paul Townend, the nine-year-old held off the challenge of Sire Du Berlais and Mark Walsh by a half length.

It was another Grade 1 winner of the Festival for successful trainer Willie Mullins thanks to the gelded son of Dream Well.

It was a fourth Punchestown Festival success in total for the Joanne Coleman-owned bay, and his three triumphs in this race put him alongside Derrymoyle, who won it three times in four seasons.

Sire Du Berlais was bidding to create history by completing the Cheltenham-Aintree-Punchestown treble in the staying division.

Winning rider Paul Townend said of Klassical Dream:

“He loves it here. His record here is very good. We just held on. I was trying to leave it late and I still managed to get there too soon. He hasn’t had the most straightforward of season and all credit to Dave (Casey) and the gang at home for getting him back here in such good form on that bit of nice ground.”

List of remaining fixtures for Man City and Arsenal

Manchester City’s Path to Third League Trophy in a Row, Arsenal’s Last-Ditch Efforts

After a decisive victory against Arsenal, Manchester City is inching closer to their third league trophy in a row. However, Arsenal is still in the running with a chance to turn things around in their remaining fixtures.

Remaining fixtures:

Arsenal:

  • Chelsea (a) – 2 May
  • Newcastle (a) – 7 May
  • Brighton (h) – 14 May
  • Nottingham Forest (a) – 20 May
  • Wolves (h) – 28 May

Man City:

  • Fulham (a) 30 April
  • West Ham (h) 3 May
  • Leeds (h) 7 May
  • Everton (a) 14 May
  • Chelsea (h) 20 May
  • Brighton (a) 24 May
  • Brentford (a) 28 May

Manchester City has a relatively easier schedule with games against mid to lower-level teams like Fulham, Leeds, and Brighton. However, they will face some tough opponents in West Ham, Everton, and Chelsea, which could be crucial in determining the outcome of the title race.

Arsenal’s fixtures are very challenging compared to Manchester City’s, with games against Newcastle, Wolves, and Brighton & Chelsea.

Conclusion: Manchester City has the advantage with two extra games to play and a stronger squad, but Arsenal still has a chance to turn things around if they can perform well in their remaining fixtures. It will be an exciting end to the Premier League season, and football fans worldwide are eagerly waiting to see who will come out on top.

Dublin v Kildare – Preview, Stats & Team News

Dublin and Kildare are set to face off for the third consecutive year in the Leinster championship.

Both teams emerged victorious in their respective quarter-final fixtures, with Dublin defeating Laois and Kildare beating Wicklow.

Recent Championship Meetings

Dublin and Kildare have faced each other in the championship five times in the last decade. The most recent encounter was in the 2022 Leinster final, where Dublin secured a comprehensive victory with a scoreline of 5-17 to 1-15. In the previous year’s final, Dublin emerged victorious with a score of 0-21 to 1-9.

Kildare’s last championship win over Dublin dates back to the 2000 Leinster final replay. Since then, Dublin has won all six encounters by an average of 13.7 points, with the aggregate score being Dublin 16-121 Kildare 4-75.

Dublin’s Dominance

Dublin is the dominant force in Leinster football, and their statistics over the past two decades reflect this. They have met Kildare 57 times in the championship, with Dublin winning 39, Kildare winning 13, and five matches ending in a draw. Dublin has reached the Leinster final for 18 out of 19 seasons, and they are aiming for their 13th consecutive final appearance this year.

Key Players

Dublin displayed their attacking prowess in the quarter-final against Laois, scoring an impressive 4-30. Con O’Callaghan, Colm Basquel, and Ciaran Kilkenny were the standout performers, with a combined score of 3-16 between them. Kildare will need to be wary of Dublin’s attacking threat if they hope to cause an upset. Bookies expect Dublin to win by 11pts

The Road Ahead

The winner of this semi-final will go on to face either Louth or Offaly in the Leinster final. While Dublin is the overwhelming favorite to progress, Kildare will be hoping to cause an upset and end their losing streak against the reigning champions

Team News 

We will have the starting teams on Friday afternoon

Kildare and Dublin into Leinster Minor Football Semi-Finals

Kildare advances to provincial semi-final after beating Laois

Kildare’s minor football team came back strong in the second half to beat Laois 0-18 to 0-10 and secure a place in the provincial semi-finals. After trailing by a point at halftime, Kildare dominated the second half, scoring four points immediately after the restart to take the lead. They put themselves in a winning position with five unanswered points and secured their third consecutive win in the Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Football Championship, topping Group 1. Laois finished third and will move on to a preliminary quarter-final.

Dublin secures top spot in Group 2

Dublin’s minor football team secured top spot in Group 2 after a 4-19 to 2-12 victory over Westmeath. Paddy Curry and Lenny Cahill both scored two goals each to help and another strong display from Noah Byrne helped maintain Dublin’s perfect record ahead of the semi-finals.

Meath finished in second place after beating Louth 2-9 to 1-7, securing a place in the quarter-finals.

Wicklow claims top spot in Group 3

In Group 3, Wicklow’s minor football team claimed top spot with a 3-11 to 2-6 victory over Carlow. Conor Broderick and Thomas Kelly scored two late goals while Patrick Small hit the team’s opening goal in the first half. Wicklow, along with second-placed Wexford, advanced to the preliminary quarter-finals.

Fastorslow wins Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup

Fastorslow leads Galopin Des Champs in the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup. Credit: David Betts.

Fastorslow created a major upset in the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup this evening when claiming the week’s feature race at the Co Kildare track.

Going to post a 20/1 chance, the Martin Brassil-trained seven-year-old had the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Galopin Des Champs, the runner-up, Bravemansgame, and the winner of the Ryanair, Envoi Allen among his opponents, along with the Gordon Elliott-handled Fury Road making up the five-runner field.

The English challenger made most the running throughout the race, before being challenged out his outside by Galopin Des Champs on entering the Punchestown home straight. With Fasterslow in third position at this stage, it looked as thought the ‘big-two’ would fight out the finish. As Harry Cobden on Bravemansgame and Paul Townend on the odd-on race favourite went for victory, J.J. Slevin continued to coax the eventual winner back into contention.

In the final furlong, Fasterslow was the strongest as he held off the top two in the betting marker to record a two-and-a-quarter length win to the surprise of the silent stands.

A Dream To Share Wins Grade 1 Punchestown Champion Bumper

A Dream To Share won an incredible fifth bumper when winning the Race and Stay At Punchestown Champion I.N.H. Flat Race. The victory, followed wins at the Dublin Racing Festival in March and the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival last month.

Today he had to battle more than ever. He was challenge on the home stretch by Tullyhill, the mount of Patrick Mullins but the 8/11f showed his quality, under John Gleeson, to eventually move clear and win by three-and-three-quarter lengths at the winning post. His record now reads 5 wins from 5 runs and two wins at Grade 1 level.

Gaelic Warrior was an easy 10-length winner of the Grade 1 Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle. The German-bred son of Maxios was comfortable throughout the race under Paul Townend. The win, another success at the highest level for this week for Willie Mullins.

Ballybawn Belter (17/2), in the colours of the race sponsor J.P. McManus, won the opening Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle. Trained in Wexford by Liz Doyle, the five-year-old bay filly travelled well throughout the 2m 3f 180yards race, and claimed the lead on entering the home straight.

Though the daughter of Valirann began to tire in the shadows of the line, jockey Charlie O’Dwyer kept the previously two-time winner going to claim the win by one length. The English-trained challenger Bread And Butter finished runner-up for trainer Ollie Murphy, with Mouse Morris’ Camino Rock a neck further back in third.

The race favourite, Sandor Clegane (15/8) third in the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival, was a comfortable winner of the Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series Final, a second Wexford trained winner on the day, this time for Paul Nolan, and ridden by Seán O’Keeffe.

Grangeclare West (6/4f), who had disappointed on his two previous runs, ran out a four-and-a-quarter length winner of the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle. In the colours of Cheveley Park Stud, the seven-year-old gelded son of Presenting was another winner at Punchestown 2023 for jockey Paul Townend and trainer Willie Mullins.

Hereditary Rule under seven-pound claimed Shane O’Callaghan gave John McConnell a Punchestown Festival winner when claiming the €100,000 HSS Hire Handicap Steeplechase, the penultimate race on the Wednesday card.

Padraig Harrington: The Irish Golfer Enjoying His Game Despite His Age

Padraig Harrington: The Irish Golfer Enjoying His Game More Than Ever Despite His Age

Padraig Harrington, a legendary Irish golfer, may be at the twilight of his professional career at 51 years old, but he is determined to continue playing on the DP World Tour and PGA Tour. Although he has been performing well on the PGA Tour Champions, he still wants to compete against the very best and win against young players. According to him, he is loving golf more than ever before and has eliminated the things he doesn’t want to do, allowing him to enjoy his life on tour, which is reflecting in his game. Harrington has also embraced the changing times and is active on social media, sharing golf hints and tips during the pandemic.

Improving Swing Speed is a Priority

Harrington has been focused on improving his swing speed, and winning a recent bet with Shane Lowry, where he got to 191 mph, was a feather in his cap. He advises that swing speed is not about getting stronger in the gym, but more about breaking the mental, psychological barrier of swinging faster without the fear of hitting crooked. Harrington believes that players should train themselves to swing ten miles an hour quicker and swing easy, and they will be five miles an hour quicker on the golf course.

Padraig HARRINGTON (IRE) during the play off at the British Open Championship, 22nd July 2007. With the famous claret jug.

Knee Operation Can Wait

Despite needing an operation on his right knee, Harrington will not do so in the very near future because he is playing too well to take six months off. However, he is managing his knee by doing a lot of physio and strengthening the rest of his leg to protect the knee. At the moment, he is good to go.

Winning is More Important Than Age Records

Harrington is currently the oldest player on the DP World Tour, but he’s more interested in winning than being the oldest winner. He feels good about his game and believes he can win at any stage. His aim is to win rather than getting lucky and setting a record.

Confidence in Europe’s Ryder Cup Team

As the captain for the Ryder Cup in 2020, Harrington knows that it is crucial to have the right players for a successful campaign. He is confident that the current European team is in a good place, with top players such as Jon Rahm and Matt Fitzpatrick performing exceptionally well. However, Harrington believes that they still need a few more senior and young players to show some form to be competitive.

Launching Marlay Putting Green

Harrington was in Ireland last week to launch the Marlay Putting Green, an initiative he had been working on for three years. The funding for the project came from the R&A and Golf Ireland, supported by Sport Ireland’s special projects scheme. Harrington wanted to give something that everyone could enjoy, regardless of their skill level or whether they are golfers or not. He believes that putting is easy for beginners but difficult for experienced players, and he hopes that the Marlay Putting Green will give people of all ages and skill levels an opportunity to enjoy the game.

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