THE five-day Willie Mullins Punchestown Festival ended with a total of 39 races run, not including the charity race which traditionally brings the curtain down.

Numerically, Ireland was the clear winner in the breeding stakes, their 25 successes easily beating the French dozen, with a single success each for horses bred in Britain and Germany. However, when it came to the top end of the programme, the 14 Grade 1 or Grade A races contested, the French outnumbered the home team with eight wins to our five, the remaining win being credited to the German-foaled Gaelic Warrior.