The post Grade 1s for Mullins and Henderson at Punchestown on Saturday appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Carrying the colours of Joe and Marie Donnelly, the Paul Townend-ridden winner came home to loud cheers from the packed stands at the Co Kildare venue.

Prior to the Grade 1 contest, the presence of former champion hurdler Constitution Hill (8/13 favourite) added spice to the race, and the reigning Cheltenham Champion Hurdler of 2025 Golden Ace was also in the six-runner field.

Paul Townend set out in front on the son of Doctor Dino and dictated the fractions throughout the two-mile contest.

With Golden Ace (14/1) and Lorcan William, and Kargese (15/2) and Danny Mullins tracking the leader, eyes turned to Constitution Hill as his rider James Bowen asked for an effort before two hurdles out.

With State Man increasing the tempo, and ultimately his lead, the Nicky Henderson-trained Constitution Hill soon looked in trouble and began to fade.

Townend and State Man were lengths clear heading to the final hurdle, with their only serious danger in front of them.

The Closutton inmate was given time to jump the final flight, and eventually ran out a four and three-quarter length winner over the mare Golden Ace, trained by Jeremy Scott.

State Man’s stable mate, Kargese, with Danny Mullins aboard, was next home, a length and a quarter behind the runner-up.

Ian Donoghue’s Break My Soul (125/1) was fourth, 18 lengths behind Kargese, with another three and a quarter lengths further back to race favourite Constitution Hill.

The post State Man wins his third Boodles Champion Hurdle at Punchestown appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Carrying the double green silks of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, the French-bred was a first winner at this year’s festival for jockey Paul Townend, when taking the Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle.

In what looked like a clash between the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle winner from the Cheltenham Festival and the Grade 1 Turners’ Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree, Honesty Policy (5/2), the latter kept on well in the dying stages of the race to win.

Though Jasmin De Vaux bumped the Gordon Elliott-trained runner in the run-in, the Closutton-handled runner had a half length in hand at the line in the Channon Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle.

Andy Slattery’s Fleur In The Park (17/2) was a further six lengths behind in third, under rider Cian Quirke.

It was relief for winning jockey Paul Townend, who lost his irons in the home straight, to finally visit the winner’s enclosure at this year’s Punchestown Festival.

“Always good to get one on the board,” the Lisgoold rider admitted. “You’d have hoped for one yesterday with good rides. We’d to wait a while today to get it and I nearly threw that one away as well!”

The post Jasmin De Vaux and Paul Townend win Grade 1 Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

The Closutton trainer’s winners included the three Grade 1 races on the card.

Kaid D’Authie (9/4 favourite) and Mark Walsh was the first Mullins winner on Wednesday. The J.P. McManus-owned French-bred won the Louis Fitzgerald Hurdle by three and a half lengths.

Kaid D’Authie had pulled up on his most recent racetrack appearance, in the Grade 1 Turners’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last month.

Three Grade 1 victories

In the first Grade 1 of the afternoon, Jasmin De Vaux (13/8 favourite) brought up the Closutton-handled double, and gave stable jockey Paul Townend his first winner of the 2025 Punchestown Festival.

The next Grade 1 on the card was a win for Townend’s sister, Jody, as Bambino Fever (11/8 favourite) completed the Cheltenham-Punchestown champion bumper double.

Galopin Des Champs (5/6 favourite) was most impressive – a 22 length winner – in the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup. The son of Timos was a fourth winner on the card for Team Mullins.

James Du Berlais (7/1) and J.J. Slevin completed the Willie Mullins five-timer with success in the Grade 3 Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase.

Crucial winner for John Shinnick 

Glanworth, Co Cork jockey John Shinnick closed the gap in his quest for the conditional jockeys’ championship with success on 9/1 chance Thisistheway.

Owned and trained by the Lattas in Wexford, the daughter of Doyen was a length and a quarter victor over the fast finishing Littlefoot (80/1) and Conor Stone-Walsh.

The Tom Mullins-trained, Danny Mullins-ridden Coral River (6/1) was a further three lengths back in third.

Shinnick is now only one winner behind leader Tiernan Power Roche in his bid to succeed Danny Gilligan as champion conditional rider come Saturday afternoon.

British-trained winner

David Pipe continued the success of the British trainers as he won the Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle with Thanksforthehelp (14/1).

Carrying the colours of the race sponsor, J.P. McManus, the Gavin Brouder-ridden eight-year-old grey came late to claim a two and a half-length success from race favourite Ballysax Hank (5/1), with a further three and a quarter lengths back to Stay Gold (20/1) in third.

The Declan Queally-trained and ridden Carrigmornaspruce (11/2) took the concluding Grade 3 Weatherbys GSB EBF (Mares) IMH Flat Race.

The post Willie Mullins five-timer on day 2 of Punchestown Festival appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

It continued the excellent form on Friday of both Willie Mullins and Paul Townend, as he claimed the race by two and a half lengths from the Irish-trained favourite The Big Westerner (9/2f).

The Henry de Bromhead-handled Darragh O’Keeffe-ridden runner-up was two and a half lengths adrift of the winner, with the Irish-bred Lucinda Russell-trained Derryhassen Paddy (10/1) and Derek Fox another four and a half lengths behind.

“This lad takes a bit of warming up, he’s not the most straightforward, but he’s a classy individual,” Paul Towend admitted post race.”He showed that here last year – that was a huge pick from Patrick and I said, ‘If he picked him last year, I couldn’t leave him behind this year.’

“I think a lot of it is just confidence with him and just getting into a rhythm – I thought there would be plenty go forward – and ride him for class.”

The post Jasmin De Vaux becomes dual Cheltenham Festival winner appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Backed into 3/1 favouritism, last year’s Triumph Hurdle runner-up, led home an irish-trained 1-2-3-4.

Runner-up was Gordon Elliott’s Ndaawi (25/1) under Jack Kennedy, a length and a half behind the Closutton winner.

Mullins was also responsible for both the third and fourth, with Absurde (5/1) and Danny Mullins one a half length further back, while Ethical Diamond (16/1) and Patrick Mullins completed the Irish clean weep another three-quarters of a length behind in fourth place.

Commenting on another Cheltenham 2025 win, the successful jockey Paul Townend admitted:

“She was keen today alright! That’s her though, she has the heart of a lion. I was in front a lot sooner than I wanted. But it might have actually helped me that when I got there, she parked a little bit and gave herself a breath of air, and that meant she could repel what was coming at me at the back of the last.”

The post 2024 Triumph runner-up Kargese wins County Hurdle appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Owned by Audrey Turley, the nine-year-old son of Timos will have the assistance of Paul Townend in the saddle.

The Lisgoold rider will become the most successful jockey in Cheltenham Gold Cup history if his partner wins the day’s showpiece.

Townend currently has four wins – the same number as the legendary Pat Taaffe.

For trainer Willie Mullins, he will join Tom Dreaper as a five-time winner of steeplechasing’s  blue riband if the French-bred Closutton inmate claims a third crown.

First Cheltenham runner for 71-year old trainer Eleanor Broderick

Fermoy-based handler Eleanor Broderick, who won her first race inside the rails at Fairyhouse last November with Lisleigh Lad, will have her first runner at Cheltenham this afternoon.

Lisleigh Lad, who she bred with her partner Matt Slattery, will contest the ‘Foxhunters’ at 4.40pm. The seven-year-old son of Dansant will be ridden by Point-to-Point southern region jockey, Darragh Allen.

11 Mullins runners in Triumph Hurdle

Charlus, winner of three of his four flat races in France, will contest the opening JCB Triumph Hurdle at 1.20pm.

Costing a reputed €315,000 when purchase by The Why Knot Partnership, the gelded son of Churchill will be ridden by Seán O’Keeffe.

Willie Mullins, who has won the ‘Triumph’ four times in the past, will have a total of eleven horses in the 18-runner two  miles 179 yards race – Blue Lemons, Charlus, Larzac, Pappano, Poniros, Too Bossy For Us, Wille De Houelle, Lady Vega Allen, Lumiere Du Large, Place De La Nation and Sainte Lucie.

The post Galopin Des Champs, Willie Mullins and Paul Townend all on the brink of history appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Six Irish horses are among the field of eight for the Grade 1 contest over two miles, where the Nicky Henderson-trained Jonbon, owned by J.P. McManus, will start as the race favourite.

Marine Nationale, a winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 2023, is the strongest Irish challenger, having posted a career-best Racing Post Rating in the Dublin Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival last month.

Former winners of the Champion Chase, Energumene and Captain Guinness, contest again this year, with the former likely to have more support in the betting market.

New McManus recruit could deny Irish in opener

The opening Grade 1 Turners’ Novices’ Hurdle over two miles five furlongs will have eight Irish-trained runners in the 11-horse race. Here again, another J.P. McManus-owned English-trained horse – Dan Skelton’s The New Lion – may deny the overseas challenge.

An Irish winner is guaranteed in the 2.00 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, with all runners making the trip from this side of the Irish Sea. Willie Mullins accounts for four of the seven, Gordon Elliott has two, and Henry de Bromhead has one representative.

Strong Irish challenge in the Champion Bumper

The fourth and final Grade 1 of Wednesday’s action is the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at 5.20pm. The race which will close the day two card has Copacabana heading the betting market for Willie and Patrick Mullins. His stable companion, Gameofinches, the mount of Paul Townend, is next best with the bookmakers, followed by Gordon Elliott’s Kalypso’chance, who will be ridden by Jack Kennedy.

The post Irish well represented in Wednesday’s four Grade 1 races appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Ridden by Paul Townend, the classy mare was winning for the third time at the festival, having also win the JCB Triumph Hurdle in 2023.

The daughter of Great Pretender was a seven and a half length winner over stable companion Jade De Grugy (5/1) and Danny Mullins.

When asked about the decision to reroute Lossiemouth to the Mares’ Hurdle  instead of the initial plan, the Unibet Champion Hurdle, Willie Mullins explained:

“As a trainer, and a professional, I didn’t see the work to run her in a Champion Hurdle, which disappointed me on the day, but we had the alternative to come here and that has worked.

“You have to look at Rich Ricci’s team which hasn’t had a great season this season. We all gauge ourselves by Cheltenham. I wasn’t sure he had a live chance of a winner, but she was a live chance of a winner so made the decision to change races.

“I was disappointed to change our mind on a two year plan, but it was the correct decision for the connections.

The post Lossiemouth wins back-to-back Mares’ Hurdles appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Running in the colours of Charlie McCarthy from Fermoy, five-year-old ran out a ready length and three-quarters winner under Paul Townend.

The runner-up William Munny, ridden by Seán Flanagan for Barry Connell, carried the same colours in which Michael O’Sullivan achieved his most notable victory, when winning this race with Marine Nationale two years ago.

Reacting to the win, successful handler Mullins said:

“It’s wonderful. We sent a good team to try and win it, so I’m delighted we did. He looks to be some sort of a horse; the team of horses I had there, any year I’d say they’d be good enough to try and go close in that race, and they were spread out like Brown’s cows behind the first two.

“I think a faster pace suits his jumping better. He is like a chaser, but should he do that or stay over hurdles? I don’t know. We’ll see. We’ll probably have a go over fences at the end of the season and see what he’s like, and if Paul is happy to go chasing with him.”

For the Lisgoold rider it was a 35th Cheltenham Festival success, and the 104th for Willie Mullins.

The post Kopek Des Bordes delivers in Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.