PUNCHESTOWN Festival winner Aione will be offered for sale on the ThoroughBid platform next Wednesday, May 10th. Owned by Rich Ricci and trained by Willie Mullins, Aione is a 10-year-old son of Coastal Path and he won a handicap chase over three miles and seven furlongs last Saturday off a mark of 130.

Ricci’s racing manager Joe Chambers said: “We felt there may be better opportunities for him to take on some big pots in the UK, as there are a greater number of handicap chases there than in Ireland. Also, as he’s now likely to have a UK mark that would have got him into this year’s Randox Grand National, he should appeal to a broader audience looking for a staying chaser that can take them to some of those big days. He’s a horse that will give somebody a lot of fun.”

Aione will be joined in the sale by the Henry de Bromhead-trained pair of Spyglass Hill and Minella Escape, Gordon Elliott’s Rock On Cassie, Olly Murphy’s What Will Be and the Jonjo O’Neill-trained duo of Sermando and Walk In My Shoes.

Web: ThoroughBid.co.uk