With Nolimit and Josh Halford foil The Mourne Rambler Josh Halford timed his challenge to perfection to get With Nolimit up to win the Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion I.N.H. Flat Race. Ninth in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, the Gordon Elliot-trained five year-old held off the challenge of Festival hero The Mourne Rambler – who looked to be hampered on the run to the line before staying on again – to come home a length and three-quarters clear of Noel Meade’s 11-8 favourite. Elliott said of his 14-1 scorer: “To be fair he ran a good race in Cheltenham, he might have just done a little bit much. I probably gave Harry (Swan) the wrong instructions. “We took our time with him a bit more today. All credit to Josh, he gave him a great ride. “I’m delighted for Josh, he works in the yard and he works very hard. He’s a lovely fella, he’s from good stock. “He’s with me now for a couple of years and got us a good few winners. He comes in every day and doesn’t say too much and doesn’t give out. He’s patient and I’m absolutely thrilled for him, to win a Grade One. It’s hard to get them.” The Cullentra handler added: “That’s equal with our best ever season as regards Grade Ones (12). Hopefully we might get another one before the end of the week.” Henry de Bromhead’s Nouvotic (7-1) pulled clear three fences out to win the Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase under Darragh O’Keeffe. De Bromhead said: “It’s lovely to get one, especially for Roger (Brookhouse) who is a brilliant supporter of Punchestown. He loves coming over, he comes over every year. “He’s a great supporter of ours as well and that’s the second time we’ve won this, we won it with Lets Go Champ a couple of years ago. “I couldn’t believe the easy lead Darragh got and I’m just delighted.” When asked if he could be a Galway Plate contender, he added: “He could, I was just thinking that but he may not be rated high enough. “He was 130 there so he may not be rated high enough to get in, but he could be a horse for the Blazers or something like that. “He loves that ground.”
