THIS week 10 years ago The Irish Field was reporting on racing at Punchestown and one of the most significant early season chases. The Daily Star Chase pitched the 2005 Gold Cup winner Kicking King against War Of Attrition and it was the Mouse Morris inmate who prevailed on the day. It was the start of a season that saw Michael O’Leary’s gelding go on to land the Cheltenham Gold Cup and then double up at the Punchestown Festival with a victory there in the Gold Cup.

Nick Mordin was getting it right and wrong in his Time Will Tell column. He was not so impressed with Sir Percy’s defeat of Horatio Nelson in the Dewhurst Stakes and felt that the race time was barely group standard! We know now that the colt went on to win the Derby and run second to George Washington in the 2000 Guineas. He did however also highlight a Class 2 handicap winner Notnowcato and said of his trainer Sir Michael Stoute that he would bet on him progressing the colt to group class the next season. He won three Group 1 races over the next two years.