IF the first two Grade 1s didn’t demonstrate Willie Mullins’ ammunition enough, the 16/1 outsider of his quartet in the €100,000 Goffs Defender Bumper, €120,000 buy Wonderful Everyday, ran out a stylish debut winner.
Mullins’ and Harold Kirk’s €210,000 purchase Leader Des Bordes was sent off favourite, but Ruth Dudfield’s mount caught the eye making smooth headway turning for home. Improving into second before the final furlong, she led soon after and was pushed out to win by a length and three-quarters from Stuart Crawford’s point-to-point winner Green Hint.
“This filly had been doing everything right at home, but I didn’t know how good she was,” Mullins said of the mare, who is owned by the Drew, Murphy, Cahill and Mangan Partnership. “We were hoping that Leader Des Bordes [finished eighth] might follow in the footsteps of his brother [Kopek Des Bordes].
“It’s great for the riders that are good enough and everyone in the stable gets a chance of riding a good winner.”
Smiths score for Scotland
Buy Some Time (50/1) proved well-named when striking late to win the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final Handicap Hurdle, marking a career-best for Scottish father and son team, Mike and Ben Smith.
Ben Smith cruised behind horses turning for home and asked his mount to quicken two furlongs out. Fifth jumping the final flight, he ran on between horses to lead close home, beating Faye Bramley’s raider Almuhit (11/2 favourite) by a length and three-quarters.
Mike Smith, who owns the winner with Barclay Thomson and Patricia Carnaby, said: “Is there anything better than a day like today at the Punchestown Festival and your son winning like that?”
The trainer of 35 horses continued: “In the last eight days, I’ve had a National Hunt winner in Perth, won a point-to-point for a fella that works in the yard, a flat winner at Ayr and then flew over here.
“They all tell you that you can’t beat the Irish and Willie comes over and beats us all, but it doesn’t always happen that way. You have to be brave to take the risk and throw the darts!”
Derham’s mare continues ascent
After British trainers filled a 1-2 in the third race, the Listed Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle, calls were made for Punchestown’s version of the Prestbury Cup. Getting on the Punchestown scoresheet for the first time ever was Harry Derham, whose Ascending Lark made it six from six for the stable.
The Will Watt and John Lalor-owned 8/1 shot had every chance turning for home and ran on behind the leaders a furlong out. She led close home to beat Jonjo and A.J. O’Neill’s raider Wilful by three-parts of a length under Paul O’Brien. The improving Irish Panther claimed third for Eddie and Patrick Harty, while Derham’s 2024 runner-up Brentford Hope, finished eighth.
“We didn’t plan on being that far back, but she’s a good horse,” said Derham. “There aren’t that many horses that win five, never mind six!
“A couple of times last year I was on the verge of retiring her. I couldn’t get her right, she wasn’t running to her mark, but her owners were very patient and thank God they were.”
Dream result for O’Keeffe
The Punchestown Festival began with a feel-good factor in the Kildare Hunt Club Cross Country Chase for the Ladies’ Perpetual Cup, as Transprint led home a 1-2 for Wexford trainer Richie O’Keeffe.
O’Keeffe had won or placed in the last three runnings, but it was Transprint’s moment to shine on Tuesday. Stablemate Turnupdevolume rallied with last year’s victor Knockiel Synge before the turn for home, as Transprint did his best to narrow the gap under Anthony James Doyle.
O’Keeffe’s 22/1 shot finished strongest to assert close home, beating his stablemate and Barry Stone by three-parts of a length, with another two lengths back to Knockiel Surge (Peter Flood and Georgie Benson) in third. The game trio finished 14 lengths clear of the remainder.
“It’s a dream result,” said O’Keeffe. “Tony rides out for me at home and he picked Transprint. They were running well in point-to-points and that stands to them.
“They are both in on Saturday, along with Turnupdevolume, so we’ll see how they turn out.”
Another exciting recruit for Cromwell
Last year’s winner of the Willie Coonan Memorial INH Flat Race, Sixandahalf, has worked out to be quite special, andGavin Cromwell appears to have another smart horse on his hands in Bud Fox (16/5), who made a winning rules debut under Derek O’Connor, who trained him to win his sole start between the flags.
Cruising behind the leaders turning for home, he easily asserted after the two-furlong pole and was ridden approaching the final furlong. Eased close home, he scored by four and a quarter lengths from Tom Cooper’s Celestial Tune (50/1 ) in second, three-parts of a length ahead of Eric McNamara’s Starting Fifteen (11/2).
On the winner’s beginnings, O’Connor reported: “He came from Hugh Bleahen unbroken last spring and he gave me the full year to train him. He was always a great jumper with a great mind.
“After he won, Tom Malone bought him for Owen Daley to go to Gavin and he couldn’t be in better hands.”
On the importance of Tuesday’s win, he said: “It tells us we’re doing the right thing, that we’re not overworking them, not asking them too many questions and giving them time to mature. It means trainers and owners can benefit from our early education; it’s very pleasing.”
Eye-catcher of the day
Samui had just three (well-beaten) horses behind him turning for home in the third race, but the way in which he finished explained why Gordon Elliott had run him over further on his last two starts. The flat-bred six-year-old finished seventh of 17 and is worth watching over further next time.
Quote of the day
“They all tell you that you can’t beat the Irish and Willie comes over and beats us all, but it doesn’t always happen that way.
You have to be brave to take the risk and throw the darts!”
Mike Smith after Buy Some Time’s 50/1 win
Ride of the day
Ben Smith, who is based with Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, took inspiration from Buy Some Time’s name, as he timed his challenge perfectly aboard his father’s charge.
His tidy style, driving low in the saddle, belied his seven-pound claim and suggests this won’t be the last we hear his name on the big stage.
In-running
carnage of the day
There was drama five furlongs out in the opener when Fralimonti Bilbery (Denis Murphy/ Jack Hendrick) collided with the rail, which came loose and fell across Haggard (Colin Bowe/ Rob James). Both horses pulled up before the second last, with James reporting that Haggard had bled. The stewards later found blame with Declan Lavery aboard the eventual fourth Tech Talk (Tom Dreaper) and suspended Lavery for seven days due to careless riding.
Buy of the day
Ascending Lark’s co-owner Will Watt gave John Lalor a half-share in the mare as a wedding present. Bought by the Lalor’s Carrigeen Bloodstock for £18,000 as a yearling at Goffs UK, her paddock value increased with Tuesday’s listed win, but prior to that, she had benefitted from the exploits of her Grade 1-winning half-brother Romeo Coolio.
Prize of the day
Luke Barry’s Manister House Stud won a Defender for selling Goffs Defender Bumper heroine Wonderful Everyday. “That was huge,” Barry said after accepting congratulations in the parade ring. “It’s a thrill to get a big vendors’ prize, but I have to say we are thrilled to sell a good horse. That’s what this game’s all about.
“Jordan Cummins bought her as a filly foal. She was a beautiful filly and, to be honest with you, Jordan deserves a lot of the credit and the big problem will be dividing up the jeep with her!”