Barry Lyndon lands Pat Taaffe for Slevin and McLoughlin JJ Slevin and Dermot McLoughlin were amongst the winners on the final day of the festival as Barry Lyndon won the Palmerstown House Estate Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase (Listed Race) at Punchestown. Sent off 16/1, in the colours of Mrs Fidelma Toole, the gelding tracked the leaders into the straight as UK raider As The Fella Says took them along. With the latter coming to grief after jumping two out, Barry Lyndon swept through under Slevin to take over at the head of affairs. Going clear after negotiating the last, the eventual winner only had to be pushed out hands and heels for an easy three-and-three-quarter length success. Dermot McLoughlin said: "He isn't a winter-ground horse and wants nice ground so he obviously got it there today. It makes a big difference to him and he wouldn't carry 12 stone either, so it was grand only having 10st 8lb today. "JJ (Slevin) said there is a good pot in him and we'll look at some of those Nationals now and could bring him to England. Today was the plan so now we'll work on the next one." He added "any winner is nice and we had a lean enough winter, so to win a race with the 'Taaffe' name on it is great. My father was the first person to win on Arkle in 1962 and was a lucky man. He was one of four to win on Arkle, along obviously with Tom Taaffe. "I wouldn't have many winter horses and have more nicer-ground ones so hopefully they're starting to click now. "It is a great festival, I've been watched it on television all week and there have been great crowds. It is nice when it works out well although I'm on chemotherapy myself at the moment, but am getting through it well." Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes.
