Facile Vega Archives - SportsNewsIreland https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/tag/facile-vega Sports News, Live GAA scores, GAA fixtures Tue, 25 Apr 2023 18:34:55 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://i0.wp.com/www.sportsnewsireland.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/sni-icon.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Facile Vega Archives - SportsNewsIreland https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/tag/facile-vega 32 32 229439223 Willie Mullins dominates day 1 of Punchestown Festival https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/racing_irish/willie-mullins-dominates-day-1-of-punchestown-festival https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/racing_irish/willie-mullins-dominates-day-1-of-punchestown-festival#respond Tue, 25 Apr 2023 18:25:48 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=26809 It was a Grade 1 double for champion trainer Willie Mullins on the opening day of the 2023 Punchestown Festival as Facile Vega and Energumene took wins at the Co Kildare track. In a five-runner Champion Chase, where Mullins provided four of the runners, the other coming from the Henry de Bromhead yard, it was […]

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]]> It was a Grade 1 double for champion trainer Willie Mullins on the opening day of the 2023 Punchestown Festival as Facile Vega and Energumene took wins at the Co Kildare track.

In a five-runner Champion Chase, where Mullins provided four of the runners, the other coming from the Henry de Bromhead yard, it was Rachael Blackmore on de Bomhead’s Magic Daze that cut out the running.

With the odds-on favourite Energumene making an error three from home, Chacun Pour Soi and Danny Mullins came on their outside, and it was four Closutton horses battling it out heading to the second last.

With Paul Townend and Energumene on the inside of the track, Danny Mullins and Chacun Pour Soi lay down their challenge, and the race was between them heading to the last. As they went head-to-head up the home straight the Tony Bloom-owned nine-year-old won the battle of the French-breds as he had enough to hold off the 11-year-old Chacun Pour Soi by three-quarters-of-a-length and he took his six Grade 1 victory.

Blue Lord came home third with Gentleman Du Mee fourth and Magic Daze the last of the five to finish.

Facile Vega gave Paul Townend and Willie Mullins the first Grade 1 of the 2023 Punchestown Festival. The Hammer & Trowel-owned six-year-old bay gelding, who has finished second to Marine Nationale in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, upheld that form today as he beat two of his stable companions who had finished behind him at Prestbury Park in March, Diverge and Il Etait Temps. The latter was runner-up today with Oliver McKernan’s No Looking Back coming home in third, ahead of Found A Fifty and Diverge.

Winning rider Paul Townend admitted he got a “bit of a fright at the third-last, but he lengthened well down straight for me again. We got it right today and he showed the true horse. I think when he does get a bigger obstacle in front of him, his jumping will come into its own then.”

Mullins had the treble up by race 5 with his son Patrick won aboard Predators Gold in the Goffs Defender Bumper. The Gigginstown Stud-owned four-year-old gelded son of Masked Marvel was purchased by Harold Kirk had two lengths in hand on his stable mate Milo Lises, the mount of Jodi Townend, with Gordon Elliott’s Western Fold filling the third spot under Barry O’Neill.

Shecouldbeanything, fifth in the Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last month, gained some compensation with a four and a half length success in the opening Listed Howden Insurance Brokers Mares Novice Hurdle. Trained by Gordon Elliott, the six-year-old daughter of Malinas was a first winner for Jordan Gainford on his return from injury.

Half an jour later, Willie Mullins doubled-up when taking the Grade B Killashee Handicap Hurdle with Bialystok in the Rich Ricci colours. Ridden by Danny Mullins, the winner led home a 1-2-3 for the champion handler as Tax For Max with Daryl Jacob were runners-up with Tekao and Simon Torrens claiming third spot.

The other Grade 1 on the card went to Mullins, Emmet Mullins this time, as Donagh Meyler steered Feronily to victory in the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Steeplechase over 3 miles.

Feronily, the only horse proven at the trip prior to today’s race came home at 7/1 and have a length and three-quarters to spare over the Paul Townend-ridden Appreciate It with James Du Berlais third to cross the finishing line.

Three By Two won The Kildare Hunt Club Cross Country Steeplechase for the Ladies Perpetual Cup for jockey Tiernan Power Roche and trainer Denis Paul Murphy.

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]]> https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/racing_irish/willie-mullins-dominates-day-1-of-punchestown-festival/feed 0 26809 Allaho wins the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/news/allaho-wins-the-ladbrokes-punchestown-gold-cup https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/news/allaho-wins-the-ladbrokes-punchestown-gold-cup#respond Wed, 27 Apr 2022 18:21:26 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=24232 Willie Mullins completed a Grade 1 treble, and have four winners in total, on Day 2 of Punchestown 2022 as 19,934 patrons attended the Co. Kildare venue. The Closutton trainer won two Grade 1s yesterday and was dominant this afternoon in the top-level races. Allaho (6/5f) produced a scintillating performance when winning the Ladbrokes Punchestown […]

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]]> Willie Mullins completed a Grade 1 treble, and have four winners in total, on Day 2 of Punchestown 2022 as 19,934 patrons attended the Co. Kildare venue.

The Closutton trainer won two Grade 1s yesterday and was dominant this afternoon in the top-level races.

Allaho (6/5f) produced a scintillating performance when winning the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup this evening. In the colours of Cheveley Park Stud, Paul Townend took the Willie Mullins-trained runner into the lead in the early stages of the race. Though he had the company of Clan Des Obeaux (11/2) for a period of the race, the winner was never seriously challenged as he ran his opposition into submission in the €275,000 race.

Allaho, the Rynair Chase winner at Cheltenham last month, came into the 3-mile race with stamina doubts but they were quickly dispelled as the son of No Risk At All was a 14-length winner ahead of English challenger Clan des Obeaux, with former dual Cheltenham Gold Cup victor, Al Boum Photo (20/1) another length-and-a-half back in third.

The Nice Guy wins Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle

The Grade 1 Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle saw the Willie Mullins pair The Nice Guy (15/8f) and Minella Cocooner battle out the finish in the 2 mile 7 furlong race. In the colours of Malcolm Denmark, The Nice Guy and Paul Townend upheld the Cheltenham Festival form as he again defeated his stable mate, this time by only three-quarters-of-a-length. Despite dictating the fractions from flag fall, the eventual runner-up, Minella Cocooner, gave everything under Danny Mullins at the death but agonizingly failed to better The Nice Guy, who remains unbeaten in five runs.

Facile Vega wins Champion Bumper

Facile Vega (8/15f), winner of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper added the Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion I.N.H. Flat Race to his CV this afternoon as the daughter of Quevega completed a Grade 1 treble for Willie Mullins.

In the hands of the winning handler’s son, Patrick, Facile Vega was made to work hard by his stable companion Redemption Day (10/1) under Jodie Townend. Mullins Jnr and the winner were made to work hard for their victory as the bay ends the season unbeaten after four races. American Mike, runner-up to Facile Vega at Cheltenham, was third today fifteen-and-a-quarter lengths behind the winner.

The opening Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle Series Final went the way of trainer Henry de Bromhead and jockey Mikie O’Connor. Life In The Park, in the colours of Barry Maloney, took the contest by a length-and-three-quarters ahead of 16/1 Rock Road with 7/2f Thanksforthehelp another three-quarters-of-a-length back in third.

40/1 winner

Ambitious Fellow (40/1) and Sam Ewing got the nod ahead of Rebel Ivy (14/1) in the Connolly’s RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series Final. Handled by Peter Fahey and ridden by Sam Ewing, the bay gelded son of the late Fame And Glory came late on the outside to deny James Motherway’s runner by a head, with The Road To Fame (33/1) another nine lengths behind in third.

Crosshill (15/2) fought back in the home straight to get the better of both Classic Getaway and English challenger Fils D’oudairies in the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle. The Nicky Henderson horse looked the likely winner well into the home straight before, first Classical Getaway and then the eventual winner, Crosshill challenged. Under a strong Robbie Power ride, the Ronnie Bartlett-owned son of Sholokhov fought tenaciously to get his head in front at the line. Following an enquiry Fils D’oudairies was promoted to second with Classic Getaway demoted to third.

The OMC Claims Handicap Chase was won by Royal Rendezvous (12/1), giving Willie Mullins a treble on the day and the victorious rider Paul Townend a double.

The last race of the day, the Weatherbys General Stud Book Irish EBF Mares Flat Race was won by The Model Kingdom (9/2) for Noel Meade and Pat Taffee.

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