Punchestown – Day 3 Report:Willie Mullins captured his fourth Grade One of the week and his sixth success overall as star mare
Quevegagot every inch of the three-mile trip in the Ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle.
Mullins is well on track to equal his 12 victories at the big meeting last year and Quevega was the easiest of winners in the highlight of day three when obliging as the 5-2 favourite under Paul Townend.
And such was the manner of her success that sponsors Ladbrokes gave her just a 5-1 quote to topple current staying champion, Big Buck’s, in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham next March.
The six-year-old returned from an injury sustained in France last May to earn a repeat win in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Good enough to finish third to Solwhit and Punjabi over two miles here last spring, Quevega was always hacking along under Townend — who again benefited from the injury Ruby Walsh sustained at Aintree on Grand National day.
The youngster afforded himself a glance under his left arm rounding the turn and the partnership soon forged clear.
Bensalem looked a menacing threat switched back to timber after an unsuccessful chasing campaign and proved best of the rest by relegating Mullins’ Mourad back to third with his three-length second.
Mullins was winning the race for the third time and followed up Fiveforthree’s success of 12 months ago.
He said: “That was terrific. Paul said he was confident all the way round and that she stayed the trip no problem.
“She has the class to go back over two miles, as she showed when finishing third in the Champion Hurdle here last year.
“I might enter her over two miles at some point next season depending on which races are there and when we start her off.
“However, it wouldn’t worry me going straight to Cheltenham, or just having one run before, as we have done the last couple of years.”
There are few more formidable combinations than Mullins and his son Patrick in bumpers and so it proved again as the trainer brought up the double as 11-4 favourite Bishopsfurzetook the concluding emeraldbloodstock.com (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race in good style.
Captain Cee Beeput his Cheltenham Festival disappointment behind him by landing the Grade One Ryanair Novice Chase.
The nine-year-old was only eighth when sent off favourite for the Arkle Trophy and was subsequently found to have broken a blood vessel.
Eddie Harty’s stable star was always travelling more kindly on this occasion and eased into contention on the turn for home.
Let Yourself Go proved a tough nut to crack at the head of affairs but Captain Cee Bee (4-1) wore him down and took over at the final fence before running on to score by four lengths in the hands of Tony McCoy. Sports Line ran a respectable race to finish third.
Cross-country king Enda Bolger recorded his seventh win in the last eight runnings of the La Touche Cup as hot favourite L'Amiedged out stable companion Freneys Well.
L’Ami was sent off at 13-8 in the hands of JT McNamara and travelled powerfully throughout the four-mile-three-furlong event.
The application of first-time blinkers did the trick for Prince Rudias he bounced back to form to take the Naas Court Hotel Handicap Hurdle.
Sent off at 16-1 having gone almost two years since recording his solitary success, the eight-year-old careered away in the straight to come home nine lengths ahead of Dancing Hero.
Ted and Katie Walsh combined to take the Ernst & Young Handicap Chase with 25-1 chance Battlefrontrunning out a wide-margin winner.
Coscorrig cut out much of the running but was a spent force when Battlefront went to the front before the turn for home.
The result was in little doubt thereafter as Walsh, who recorded two wins at last month’s Cheltenham Festival, safely guided her mount over the remaining fences to pass the post eight lengths ahead of Jubilant Note.
Our Garrepelled all challengers to run out a game winner of the opening AON Insurances Hurdle.
The Prunella Dobbs-trained 8-1 chance was handily placed by Barry Geraghty but the challengers were queuing up from the turn for home.
Favourite Ainama looked a big danger but did not pick up for pressure and Our Gar found plenty on the run-in to score by three lengths.
Awkward Moment filled the runner-up spot, with Ainama back in third.
PUNCHESTOWN RESULTS
3.40
1 Our Gar (BJ Geraghty) 8-1
2 Awkward Moment (AP Heskin) 10-1
3 Ainama (AP McCoy) 2-1 Fav
4 Quadrillon (P Townend) 3-1
22 Ran
Non Runner: Universal Truth
4.15
1 Battlefront (Ms K Walsh) 25-1
2 Jubilant Note (DJ Condon) 20-1
3 Justified (DN Russell) 16-1
4 Truckers Delight (JL Cullen) 13-2
23 Ran
Non Runner: Manhattan
4.50
1 L'Ami (Mr J T McNamara) 13-8 Fav
2 Freneys Well (Miss N Carberry) 4-1
3 5 Another Jewel (JL Cullen) 8-1
4 Sizing Australia (AE Lynch) 7-2
17 Ran
5:30
1 Quevega (P Townend) 5/2 Fav
2 Bensalem (R Thornton) 10/1
3 Mourad (DJ Casey) 11/2
4 Noble Prince (AP Cawley) 12-1
13 Ran
Non Runners: Berties Dream (IRE), War Of Attrition (IRE)
6.05
1 Prince Rudi (RJ Molloy) 16-1
2 Dancing Hero (TGM Ryan) 10-1
3 Misala (C O'Farrell) 14-1
4 Bideford Legend (M Darcy) 10-1
25 Ran
Non Runners: Dashing George (IRE), Quiamo Malta (FR), Rockadare (IRE)
6.40
1 Captain Cee Bee (AP McCoy) 4-1
2 Let Yourself Go (P Carberry) 11-1
3 Sports Line (P Townend) 6-1
4 Osana (FR) (R Johnson) 11-2
10 Ran
7.15
1 Bishopsfurze (Mr PW Mullins) 11-4 Fav
2 Go All The Way (Mr D Kiely) 20-1
3 Kid Cassidy (Mr JP Magnier) 4-1
4 Kavanagh (Miss N Carberry) 16-1
23 Ran
Non Runner: Not For Converting