Banbridge (6/1) won the highlight of day one of the Punchestown Festival when taking a narrow success for Joseph O’Brien.
Ridden by J.J. Slevin, in the colours of Ronnie Bartlett, the Carriganóg-trained gelding had just a neck to spare at the line. Runner-up was the Champion Chase winner at Cheltenham, Captain Guinness (6/1), who for much of the home straight looked as though he would add another Grade 1 to March’s victory at the highest level.
The race favourite, Dinoblue (11/10 favourite), carrying the colours of J.P. McManus, was third, a length and a quarter behind the runner-up.
The first Grade 1 of the week, the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle went to the favourite Mystical Power (2/1) in the hands of Mark Walsh.
Runner-up at Cheltenham before winning at Aintree, the son of Galileo out of top mare Annie Power, was a cosy length and three-quarters winner over Firefox (9/2) and Jack Kennedy, who were also runner-up to the J.P. McManus-owned horse at Aintree, with four and a quarter lengths further back to Slade Steel (5/2) and Rachael Blackmore in third.
Spillane’s Tower (5/2jf) provided Conna trainer Jimmy Mangan with another big success, taking the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Champion Novice Chase under Mark Walsh.
The son of Walk In The Park has improved immeasurably this season, and today had three-quarters of a length in hand on Monty’s Star (5/2jf) and Rachael Blackmore, with Three Card Brag (25/1) next best in third.
The opening race of the 2024 Punchestown Festival went to Knockiel Synge who produced a dominant performance under rider Georgie Benson to claim The Ladies Cup for trainer Peter Flood.
Tune In A Box, bred by Victor Connolly by Jukebox Jury, gave the visitors a win in the Blood-Stock.com Full Circle Series Final Handicap Hurdle. Trained by Tom Lacey, and ridden by Richard Patrick, the victor had eight lengths in hand on the runner-up Quest With Speed, from the John ‘Shark’ Hanlon yard.
Daddy Long Legs brought up a double for Willie Mullins when easily following up on his recent cross-channel success at Ludlow when taking this afternoon’s Listed Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle by an easy five lengths. It was a first winner of the week for Paul Townend as he bids to catch rival Jack Kennedy in the champion jockeys’ race by Saturday.
