Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion INH Flat Race (Grade 1)

A dazzling display of speed from Bambino Fever saw her become the third Cheltenham Champion Bumper winner in four years to follow up in Grade 1 company at the Punchestown Festival - in the process, cementing her status as surely the top novice hurdling prospect in training for next season.

Following in the recent footsteps of Facile Vega and A Dream To Share - and joining a high-class list of mares to win the Race & Stay-backed prize, such as Fayonagh and Colreevy - the flawless five-year-old simply had too many gears for her rivals in a contest that turned quite tactical.

Jody Townend has struck up a tremendous relationship with the O’Connell Morgan Syndicate’s mare, and had her hands full from early on with how strongly the unbeaten daughter of Jukebox Jury travelled. It looked as though Ross O’Sullivan’s thoroughly likeable and talented mare Switch From Diesel might give her a scare at the top of the straight, but the 11/8 favourite managed to pull out more to score by two and a quarter lengths.

"She looks like a very good filly," said Mullins, fresh from winning a record-extending 13th edition of the race.

"It wasn't as fast a race as we thought it was going to be and she was still able to quicken off what we thought was a slowly-run race. She’s got gears.

"I thought it would be very hard to take Jody off after what she has done all year on her. That'll be it now and we'll look forward to next season when going jumping. She’s a very tough, strong filly.”

Bambino Fever was tightened up to 3/1 (from 4/1) for next year’s Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, and is now 10/1 favourite (from 16/1) for the 2026 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Townend, who was making it back-to-back wins in the race after victory last year with Redemption Day, added: “You can ride her anyway you want. I suppose the good ones get you out of trouble. I was pushed into it way too early with the ones that were coming from behind, I ended up there too soon and I was trying to get her back but I couldn't. She gives her all and galloped the whole way to the line.

“I never really got a breather into her, even turning down around five furlongs out, she kind of dropped it, but she only dropped it for a stride or two. I was trying to get a breather into her there but I couldn't. Once you give her a squeeze, she just changes gear and it's off with her.

“She is as tough as they come. She turned up at Leopardstown, Cheltenham and to come on to Punchestown and to show up everyday. In fairness to the lads who own her, they are very good to me, to stick by me. They struck gold with this one anyway. It's the first horse they've had in training and they'll struggle to find another one like her."

Ross O'Sullivan was proud of the efforts of runner-up Switch From Diesel, who has enjoyed a terrific spring with owner Paul Mullins' homebred.

"She ran a cracker," said O'Sullivan.

"We were getting very excited two furlongs down that it might happen but I'd say we just ran into a very good mare in one of those years. Our mare is going out on grass now and we can't wait to go jumping with her next year. She's a good mare, the best I've ever had, and we can't wait to bring her back out of the field.

"She's got a big engine and travels real well. We finished seven and a half lengths behind Bambino Fever at the Dublin Racing Festival and got within two and a quarter lengths of her today, so we've probably improved through the spring.

"She's already been schooled and jumps well. We have a lovely mare for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle next year, though we'll probably meet Bambino Fever there again! We'll be dreaming about her all summer."