Bambino Fever (11/8 favourite) completed the Cheltenham-Punchestown Grade 1 bumper double when winning the Race & Stay At Punchestown INH Flat Race this afternoon for Jody Townend.
The win was the middle part of three Grade 1 wins on the day for champion handler Willie Mullins, having won the first Grade 1 with Jasmin De Vaux and the later Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup with Galopin Des Champs.
With the Ross O’Sullivan-handled Switch For Diesel (11/2) coming to challenge the race favourite in the straight, the Dublin Racing Festival Grade 2 winner had enough in hand to run out a ready two and a quarter length winner.
The Noel Meade-trained Colcannon (11/4) was a further six lengths back in third for Derek O’Connor.
Jody Townend delight
The delighted Cork jockey Jody Townend, who recorded her maiden success at the highest level aboard Redemption Day in this race in 2024, said of her now dual Grade 1-winning partner, Bambino Fever:
“She’s as tough as nails. She was nearly doing too much with me the whole way today and she galloped right through the line. She has pace as well. She has it all… she’s a gem.
“She shows up every day. For a mare to do that, she’s won four all year and she’s going on a well deserved holiday now.”
