Temps on top again in Champion Chase at Punchestown Il Etait Temps brought his Grade 1 tally to eight when doubling up in Champion Chases this season by landing the William Hill sponsored feature event on day one of the Punchestown festival. The Willie Mullins-trained gelding went to post a well-backed 8/11 favourite in the two-miler to follow up on his Cheltenham success last month. He disputed early in the race but was held up by Paul Townend after a mistake at the third fence. Marine Nationale and Majborough disputed at the head of the affairs from there but Il Etait Temps cruised through to head the former going to the second last. The Jukebox Jury gelding got in very tight over the penultimate fence but asserted down to the last and went on to post a comprehensive five-length victory. Mullins said:- "He is a hell of a horse and when you look at him, he doesn' exactly scream a big chaser to you. He isn't a big horse but is strong. "He has huge reserves as, having made that mistake, I thought 'wow' as he came up beside Marine Nationale afterwards at the third-last. Marine Nationale is a fair horse to beat as he has a fair engine. "To do what he did having fallen at Sandown and come back to win at Cheltenham was special, when Paul was in top-flight jockey mode." Regarding retiring Energumene he added:- "He retires nice and sound and ran a cracker. He gave us all such a great day out at Fairyhouse (in Easter) when he rolled back the years. "It is too sunny (ground-wise) for him today but he still put up a great battle." When it was put to him that he wasn’t over-big Townend told RTE:- “He makes up for it in heart. He’s so consistent, the only blip was in Ascot. “He’s travelled plenty this year, he’s travelled plenty every year. “He’s turned up today for a horse that doesn’t get the credit he deserves, the races he’s won and the achievements he’s had. “We had one scare at the bottom of the hill and I just had to let him warm back into it, but he went down and attacked the next couple of fences. He’s brave as a lion. “They went a good gallop, they are champions, on decent ground. This lad was always going to stay and I wasn’t going to disappoint him when Sean (Flanagan) had made a lot of use of his and that was an unknown. “We didn’t need any heroics (at the second last). When he’s approaching the fence he’s pricking his ears and looking for them. He’s a brilliant horse.” Barry Connell said of Marine Nationale:- "I'm delighted with the run but he has not had the bounce of the ball this year. "He jumps fantastically well with those cheekpieces on and was foot perfect but I'd say he is a little bit flat. Normally when he lands at the back of the second-last, speed is his forte and he looked like he ran a bit flat. All credit to the winner and they pulled a long way clear of the rest of them. "I don't think his hold-up affected him and while I knew Eachtotheirown's work was excellent, Marine Nationale did a great piece of work at Fairyhouse three or four weeks ago, but his work since has been ok. "My own inclination is that he is a little flat but take nothing away from the winner. There is no doubt about he is a worthy winner on the day. "This sets us up for a nice campaign next season and hopefully we'll have a bit luck with him." Paddy Power made the winner 2/1 favourite for a repeat success at Cheltenham next March. (Additional reporting by Tom Weekes)
