CORAL PUNCHESTOWN GOLD CUP (Grade 1)

BETWEEN them they had produced the three standout efforts in the staying division this season and Kemboy and Al Boum Photo served up yet another top-class contest, which eventually went to the former.

It is not often in recent years that Irish racing has had two stayers of such quality and all too often in the past these potentially enthralling match-ups don’t quite live up to their billing. This one did though as both horses gave their all in an absorbing conclusion which yielded a third top-flight success of the season for Kemboy.

In the colours of the notably prolific Supreme Horse Racing Club, whose association with Willie Mullins has gone from strength to strength in recent years, Kemboy was bringing his brilliant season to a perfect close.

Ruby Walsh posing with the Coral Gold Cup after his retirement from the saddle. (Photo Healy Racing)

What might have happened had he not exited at the first in the Gold Cup will be a lingering question, but in this horse and Al Boum Photo the champion trainer has quite a hand for the staying division in the coming seasons.

At 13/8 Kemboy shaded favouritism from his stablemate and as his wont he was soon showing up in the front rank. For a period Monalee raced up in the front rank but it was the English raider Definitly Red who ensured that the pace up front was both unrelenting and unforgiving.

TOOK THEIR TOLL

Definitly Red’s efforts finally took their toll after four out, but to his credit the Ruby Walsh-ridden Kemboy had any amount left in reserve when the inevitable challenge from Al Boum Photo arrived.

The latter, who recovered well from a notable early mistake, loomed upsides Kemboy with two to jump but hard as he tried he could find no way past and went down by two lengths. There was a gap of 22 lengths back to The Storyteller in third place.

“It was a terrific race. Definitly Red pushed him the whole way. There was never any let up and to keep up the gallop and jump the way he did I thought that it was a huge effort from horse and rider,” said Mullins.

“Paul felt that Al Boum Photo didn’t handle conditions as well as he did at Cheltenham and Bellshill probably didn’t jump well enough.

“It’s terrific for Supreme Racing. They have been there through thick and thin and they epitomise what racing is all about.”

IRISH DAILY MIRROR NOVICE HURDLE (Grade 1)

HIS Cheltenham success may have come from left field but there is now no doubting Minella Indo’s standing as the standout staying novice of the season after he made it back-to-back Grade 1 victories here.

A 50/1 shot when breaking his maiden under rules in the Albert Bartlett and giving Rachael Blackmore the first Grade 1 success of her career, Minella Indo faced a stern examination of his credentials.

The Albert Bartlett second and third, Commander Of Fleet and Allaho, were both lying in wait, although the former was pulled up lame with a circuit to run.

Allaho, who beat Minella Indo in a Clonmel novice hurdle in February, produced a bold effort from the front and he had most of his rivals hard as work as he neared the straight in this three-mile assignment.

Minella Indo appeared to be struggling to match his old rival at this point. However, when Blackmore switched him out with a renewed effort Minella Indo responded in great style.

The Barry Maloney-owned 5/1 chance surged to the front before the last and maintained an unfaltering tempo to come home two lengths ahead of a gallant Allaho. Carefully Selected, on just his second outing over timer, turned in superb effort to finish a further length and a half away in third.

“I’m delighted to see him come out and do it again. I’m delighted for the horse, the lads and Rachael who is just riding out her skin at the moment,” stated de Bromhead.

JUST TOOK OFF

“I really thought Ruby had us at it turning but when Rachael pulled him out he just took off and then he was able to prick his ears at the last.

“I hope that he’s going to be a nice chaser for next season. That’s what he was bought for. Obviously he’s got to take to fences but if he does I’m hoping that we will be able to look at all those good staying novice chases.”

Meanwhile, the winning rider added: “He is a very tough horse, we went a proper gallop there and he picked up after the last, he was very good. The hustle and bustle of Cheltenham had him a bit keen, but he settled lovely today.

“The Maloney family are such good supporters of the game so it’s brilliant for them and for John Nallen and Corky Carroll who always thought a lot of this horse.”

RACING POST APP CHAMPION I.N.H. FLAT RACE FOR THE CONYNGHAM CUP (Grade 1)

JUST as the dust was settling on the seismic events that followed Kemboy’s victory, Willie Mullins was celebrating a fourth Grade 1 winner in two days as Colreevy and Jamie Codd struck gold.

After winning the Grade 3 mares’ bumper on this card last year Colreevy rewarded the bold decision of her connections to pitch her into Grade 1 company on just her second start since then.

The sixth mare to win this race since 1992, the daughter of Flemensfirth only returned to action with a third to Gypsy Island a month previously but the open nature of the race was such that she was returned the 4/1 second favourite.

Jamie Codd, who has now won this race three times in the last six years, kept things simple by having Colreevy up with the pace from the outset.

Colreevy and Jamie Codd win the Grade 1 Racing Post Champion INH Flat Race. (Photo Healy Racing)

LEAD

Shortly after turning the pair held a useful lead, and although Codd lost his whip inside the final quarter of a mile the mare was always doing enough. She hit the line with a length to spare over the favourite and Cheltenham bumper fourth Abacadabras. The placings were completed by Beacon Edge.

“Niall (Flynn, owner) rang me the other day and said why don’t we have a go at the champion bumper seeing that she’d won the mares’ bumper last year,” reflected Mullins.

“We were hoping that she could get some Grade 1 blacktype but Jamie worked the oracle and she can go jumping now. She’s a fine, big mare and she will be able to go over fences eventually.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY

The second day of the 2019 Punchestown Festival will be forever remembered as the day that Ruby Walsh called time on his career and it was entirely appropriate that he should bow out with a major winner trained by his long time supporter Willie Mullins.

The race itself more than lived up to expectations with Kemboy and Al Boum Photo squaring off as their form and ratings suggested they would but the day belonged to Ruby Walsh who was able to pick an entirely appropriate and opportune moment to bring the curtain down on a career that has spanned just short of 25 years.