Going - Yielding (X-country Good to Yielding, yielding in places). Overcast
Jackpot Pool - €36,092.93 Dividend - €2,521.40 Winning Units - 10.03. Placepot Pool - €101,801.02 Dividend - €2,960.80 Winning Units - 24.09. Days Aggregate - €688,392.10 Last Year €717,851.65
Danny and Willie team up with 28/1 Beauvallon in the opener
I’m delighted with that performance. He’s a horse that is improving. He wasn’t always in love with the game, but I think he’s jumping better than he’s Flat racing. We might go back on the Flat again with him this summer though. He’s going the right way and it’s a nice win for Patrick Wynn-Jones who is the manager for Barnane Stud. Himself and a few pals have this horse. They brought him back from France to give a trial to and he’s trialling well at the moment!
Adrienne records Listed success for the Walshes
We have the dam and have a few more out of her. It’s lovely to win at Punchestown. Any kind of race at Punchestown is great, particularly at the festival. I’ve been coming here since I was nine or ten. I thought she’d run well. Jessie’s horse that won yesterday (Quinta Do Lago) had been behind her on one or two occasions and the handicapper said the four-year-old form was holding up well. She had a good man on her back. He had ridden her a couple of times and I left it to him. He’s not going to be champion jockey, we’ve a great champion in Jack, but he’s going to be champion jockey some day and it’s nice to have him on board.
O'Keeffe doubles up as Busselton lands another La Touche
I thought the winning post would never come but what a great ride and a lovely little horse. It was a typical La Touche, it had a bit of everything. As I’ve said beforehand Joseph and his team had everything done with this horse. We didn’t have to do any schooling only do some little different things and take him to different places. If you gave me money to go out and buy a La Touche winner Busselton wouldn’t be the horse. He’s only about 15-3. Darragh sits into him so well and they are a great combination. He’s a great little horse, very sound, and everyone at home loves him. The good ground helps those horses (Flat-bred) get the trip. You won’t be seeing him in the height of winter. We may go to Killarney now for the long-distance chase there and try and do it all again next year. I think there is still more in him, he’s still only nine.
Patience proves the key for Blue Mosque
I was standing beside my nephew David Wright, who is a very lucky guy for me. When he stands beside me we have a winner every time!. He said to me halfway down the back ‘how are you going?’ and I said ‘I’d need a tin opener to get out of where we are!’ He got the tin opener working alright. We’ve rode her forward before and Donagh said the last day he was going to ride her from behind as he thought she’d be better off when ridden that way. She ran a helluva good race then. He said today that he was going to do the same thing as she enjoys passing horses. It was a great watch, when they get there. It’s an amazing family. Her breeder Christopher McKeever started off with a little mare who wasn’t much good, although she was probably unlucky not to win a race. Everything she’s bred has been incredibly lucky.
Come Walk With Me leads Meyler to 34/1 double
We had always hoped that he was a smart horse. He’s a seven-year-old and we had a few little niggly problems along the way. This year we said we’d go one way or the other with him. I was going to keep him hurdling but he’s never won a hurdle, he’s been second a few times. We said we’d go chasing as we knew he loved jumping and this was the route to go. I’m thrilled with that performance today. He had plenty of weight to carry and I felt it was a much better race than the last day. He’ll have his holidays now and we’ll put a plan in place for next year. We could maybe step him into a Grade 3 or 2, whatever comes his way.
Salvator Mundi takes advantage of Kopek exit
He’s a good horse in his own right. He was right on the premises; it wasn’t as if he was 20 lengths behind and picked up the pieces. He was going to be involved in the finish. If Kopek had made a mistake there and got away with it, yer man was right on his tail. He’s always been a good horse, but things just haven’t gone right for him. It’s nice to get a big race like that with him. He won in Aintree last year and he’s no back number. He probably needs nice ground, and is probably more of a spring horse than a real winter horse. I’m delighted for Marie and Joe Donnelly. They’ve had a disappointing season but now they have Kitzbuhel and this fella winning.
Bob Olinger bows out on a Grade 1 high
He read the script thankfully; he was brilliant and Darragh was brilliant on him. What a horse to have had. He’s given us so many incredible days. He’s got a gear and he’s just pure class; he always has been. Davy Roche, my assistant, said he’s the best horse that’s ever come through our place. That’s a big statement and he is probably a bit biased because he adores him, he’s like his second child. I’m delighted for everyone at home, obviously the Achesons and Darragh, what a day he’s had. He’s a class rider and he gave him a brilliant ride. It’s really special, it’s one of the top ones. For him to go out like that is what he deserves, it’s typical of him. We’ve had some amazing years with him. Brian rang me the other day to say that’s what he was planning to do and I just said ‘spot on, perfect’. We’ve been so lucky to be part of his story. Rachael won the Stayers Hurdle on him, the year of covid when he won the Ballymore what a ride she gave him. Then we lost him for a little bit but Ger Kelly (vet) in Fethard was brilliant and he found the issue. He went back to Robbie(Power)’s and came back a different horse, the same as he was before. This is one you savour, just a special day. You dream that they can end like that but plenty of time they don’t. To see him go out like that is just phenomenal.
Adaboy Mushy swoops late in a thrilling finale
That’s mighty. When I looked at the weights in the race, I said I wouldn’t ride him myself. I had been watching Barry, and he rode for me in Bellewstown before. He’s a good lad. I thought it might be the difference and that’s why I said I’d sit it out. It paid dividends as there wasn’t much in it. He quickened well and I’m delighted. The owners are in the bar all day, so they are fairly buoyed! I’d say I’ll have to join them now. I said I was going home to ride out in the morning, but I don’t think I’m allowed now. He’s always shown a lot. We’ll leave him off now. It was even a bit of a gamble, I was very worried about keeping a four-year-old in this long but he’s a big strong boy and he has a turn of foot. He’s a nice horse for next year.
