BIBBY FINANCIAL

SERVICES IRELAND

PUNCHESTOWN GOLD

CUP (GRADE 1)

CARLINGFORD Lough’s innate ability to raise his game when it matters most was yet again in evidence as John Kiely produced his admirable charge in the form of his life to claim the Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup.

Two Irish Gold Cups, a Grade 1 victory at this meeting in 2014 and a Galway Plate all provided compelling evidence of Carlingford Lough’s ability to perform on the big occasion. Yet this year’s Gold Cup fourth went into the race as something of an outsider (12/1) with the stage seemingly set for the brilliant Cue Card to end his season on a high.

Sadly injury prevented Don Cossack from bidding for back to back wins here and then Vautour’s switch to two miles the previous day left Cue Card as an overwhelming favourite. In addition to that one’s presence Carlingford Lough had to reverse Cheltenham form with both Djakadam and Don Poli, but back on home turf Carlingford Lough comprehensively turned the tables on that pair to give Barry Geraghty a fifth win in this race.

A first runner in the race for John Kiely, the J.P. McManus-owned 10-year-old was quite content to look on from the rear of the field for much of the race as Road To Riches cut out the running. The field never got too far spaced out but Carlingford Lough did appear to be struggling somewhat with a mile to run. Anyone who saw his amazing victory at Leopardstown in February wouldn’t have been too fazed by this and the resilient son of King’s Theatre was a close fifth as the leaders swung for home.

Carlingford Lough was under strong pressure at this point but he was finishing out his race with real purpose too and he was left vying for the advantage when Road To Riches took a crashing fall two out. That one had yet to be asked for his all at this point and would surely have gone close to winning but whether he would have contained Carlingford Lough’s charge is another matter.

The departure of Road To Riches handed Djakadam a slender lead but he couldn’t withstand Geraghty’s mount who moved ahead at the last and pulled four and a half lengths clear on the run in. Don Poli was a further two lengths back, a neck ahead of Cue Card.

The latter was in trouble before the straight and he was another for whom the Cheltenham-Aintree-Punchestown swing was just too much.

GREAT SERVANT

“I’ve been coming to Punchestown since 1948 and this is a never again experience in my life,” exclaimed a delighted but typically understated Kiely. “I ride him out practically every day and I was very happy with him coming here. He felt very good and Barry gave him a marvellous ride, I think he learnt from how Mark Walsh rode him at Leopardstown.

“He’s just a very easy horse to train. He’s a very sound horse with a lot of class and you just need to keep him fresh. I’m not sure if he really handles Cheltenham, it just hasn’t happened for him any time he’s gone there but he does like this track and he might just be a better horse in Ireland.

“The horse has been a great servant to me and he’s the best I’ve trained or will train. I must also thank Mark Walsh who has done a lot of schooling and work with this horse and he deserves a lot of the credit,” concluded Kiely.

Of the winner Geraghty added: “That was brilliant. To be honest I was struggling a lot of the way but from three out he began to stay on and stay on and I suppose I was getting the same feeling that Mark Walsh got when he won at Leopardstown. He finished out the race so well and he’s just an amazing horse who John Kiely has done a fabulous job with.”

Meanwhile Joe Tizzard, representing his father Colin, said of Cue Card: “We didn’t think he’d a hard race at either Cheltenham or Aintree but it’s probably just the end of the season taking its toll. He’ll be back to fight another day.”