Baaeed’s half-brother Naqeeb beaten on Leicester debut

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Naqeeb, half-brother to the mighty Baaeed, was third on his racecourse bow in the Rekorderlig Premium Fruit Cider Maiden Stakes at Leicester.

The three-year-old is by Nathaniel and out of the mare Aghareed, the same Shadwell-owned dam who produced the superb seven-time Group One scorer.

Also trained by William Haggas, Naqeeb runs in the same silks of Sheikha Hissa’s breeding and racing operation and was the 5-4 favourite under Jim Crowley when taking to the track for the first time.

Hard work over 10 furlongs on soft ground he was third, beaten six and a quarter lengths behind Pam Sly’s Wintercrack and Ryan Potter’s Fazayte.

Shadwell’s Richard Hills said: “He just got very tired quickly in that ground.

Naqeeb prior to his racecourse debut
Naqeeb prior to his racecourse debut (Adam Morgan/PA)

“He needs better ground, it’s holding and it’s his first time out.

“William’s (horses) will come on for their first run. We’ve been struggling to get on the grass at Newmarket and today, with that holding ground, it just caught him out.”

Sly’s winner was a 20-1 chance in the hands of Kieran O’Neill after two heavily-beaten efforts previously, but defied those odds in good style from the front.

Wintercrack is by Sly’s Speciosa, winner of the 1000 Guineas in 2006 and whose bloodline the trainer has been successfully cultivating since.

“She’ll get a handicap mark now, she’ll only be in the high 60s, they wouldn’t do anything else as she’s had some bad runs,” said Sly.

Wintercrack with connections
Wintercrack with connections (Adam Morgan/PA)

“I don’t know why they gave her such a lead. That Kieran’s jolly good, isn’t he?

“All the family from Speciosa, they all want a bit of give, all of them.

“I’ve got them ready early so I could get them out, but they’ll all probably have to have a break in the summer and then come back in the autumn.”

Willie Mullins and Paul Townend just champion again in Ireland

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Willie Mullins paid tribute to his owners, staff and Paul Townend after being crowned champion trainer for the 17th team on the final day of the Punchestown Festival.

It has been another memorable campaign for the master of Closutton, who in January sent out is 4,000th career winner and set a new record for the number of winners in a National Hunt season in Ireland when surpassing his previous best total of 202 at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival.

Highlights on home soil include winning the Irish Gold Cup with Galopin Des Champs and the BoyleSports Grand National with I Am Maximus, while the likes of State Man, El Fabiolo and Facile Vega were all multiple Grade One winners domestically.

Jody Townend collects the champion lady amateur title award from Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine of Ireland, Charlie McConalogue
Jody Townend collects the champion lady amateur title award from Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine of Ireland, Charlie McConalogue (Niall Carson/PA)

He said: “To win the champion trainer title is the icing on another great season for our team

“Galopin Des Champs winning at the Dublin Racing Festival, and I am Maximus winning the Irish Grand National were two personal highlights for me.

“Winning titles like this wouldn’t be possible without our loyal owners who send us these wonderful horses. It’s a huge team effort at Closutton – our staff go above and beyond in all weathers and keep the show on the road so winning the champion trainer title is a tribute to everyone at home.”

Expressing his admiration for Townend, Mullins added: “I’ve always had confidence in Paul. He was riding first jockey for me when Ruby (Walsh) was injured, but people always said he was just deputising for Ruby.

“He’s been excellent all the time. From the time he came to the yard, starting off, you could see there was something a little bit different about him.

“He’s probably coming into his own now with the horses that he’s riding. He’s had some spectacular rides this year – Galopin Des Champs at Cheltenham, I Am Maximus and Gaelic Warrior here the other day. No matter what the situation he’s able to quarry a win out of horses.

“Good jockeys ride good horses and win, but great jockeys are able to get horses to win that shouldn’t win races. That’s what he is doing now.

“He minds himself now and he’s happy just to ride the good horses. I prefer that, to stay right for the right horses.

“We’ve got some fantastic riders between Danny (Mullins), Sean O’Keeffe, Jack Foley and Patrick (Mullins) comes in for some of those rides now and again.”

When asked for his thoughts on the season as a whole, Mullins said: “Obviously the (Cheltenham) Gold Cup would look the one between the ride he got, the horse we had. We had faith in him, Paul did everything right and the horse did most things right. I suppose that has to be the standout.

Paul Townend (right) is handed his award by Charlie McConalogue
Paul Townend (right) is handed his award by Charlie McConalogue (Niall Carson/PA)

“I’m very lucky as I’ve got a great team. David Casey, Patrick, Ben Delmar, they keep the whole thing going and keep the horses coming out. I’m very lucky to have a team like that around me.”

Townend picked up the champion jockey title for the fifth consecutive season and sixth time in all.

He reached the 100-winner mark for the season when steering Gaelic Warrior to success at Punchestown on Wednesday, his fourth career century, while I A Maximus provided him with a first Irish Grand National triumph.

“I’m in a very privileged position, riding so many superstars for Willie Mullins,” said Townend.

“We had an unbelievable season, especially on the big days like Christmas, Dublin Racing Festival, the Fairyhouse Easter Festival and at Punchestown this week.

“It was a great thrill to win such an iconic race like the Irish Grand National and finally get on that special roll of honour with I Am Maximus. Galopin Des Champs winning the Irish Gold Cup and the Cheltenham Gold Cup was exceptional too.”

Mullins’ record-breaking son Patrick was crowned champion amateur for the 15th time, while Townend’s sister Jody picked up the champion lady amateur title for the third successive season.

Rising star Michael O’Sullivan received top honours
Rising star Michael O’Sullivan received top honours (Niall Carson/PA)

Rising star Michael O’Sullivan began the 2022/23 season as a 7lb claiming amateur, but ended it as champion conditional with three Grade One winners to his name, including the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham aboard the hugely exciting Marine Nationale.

O’Sullivan, who is currently sidelined by a broken collarbone, said: “I’ve had a brilliant season. My partnership with Barry Connell and our Grade Ones together were the pinnacle.

Patrick Mullins, assistant trainer at Closutton, was top conditional jockey
Patrick Mullins, assistant trainer at Closutton, was top conditional jockey (Niall Carson/PA)

“I can’t forget my first big winner as a professional at the Listowel Festival. I had a double on the day and I won a big handicap for Terence O’Brien (Magnor Glory) and a had winner for Mikey Kennedy (Presenting J) – my local festival for local people.

“I had a double the following week for Barry Connell in Roscommon, including my first Graded success on board Enniskerry. The treble at Cork on Easter Sunday was also special.”

For the 20th time and for the third season running, JP McManus was crowned champion owner.

Hewick returns to Sandown to plunder Oaksey Chase

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Hewick justified Shark Hanlon’s decision to bypass the Punchestown Gold Cup and also not defend his bet365 Gold Cup crown, as he took the Grade Two Oaksey Chase at Sandown under Rachael Blackmore.

The eight-year-old, who won the American Grand National Hurdle at Far Hills in October, was going well in front in the Cheltenham Gold Cup when he suffered a heavy fall when last seen.

Hanlon decided to swerve Punchestown as a result and his astute placement paid dividends – not that it was as easy the 6-5 favourite’s odds would suggest.

Hewick was bowling along in front, pestered by First Flow, when he made a mistake early on the final circuit in the extended two-and-three-quarter-mile affair.

Blackmore had to be patient thereafter and it was not until three out that he got back on terms.

The 11-year-old First Flow still had an advantage in front under David Bass, yet Blackmore persisted and a scintillating jump at the last, where the pair came close together, saw the pair take over and Hewick’s stamina kicked in. He ground out the victory margin to four lengths at the line.

Hanlon said: “I’m thinking the whole time should have I gone for the be365 Gold Cup, but just with the fall he got at Cheltenham I thought this was the right thing to do for the horse to give him a confidence boost. His season is only starting because he is a summer horse.

“Rachael was absolutely brilliant as she always is. I’m very sorry for Jordan (Gainford) that he is not here as he has made the horse for us. He will be back, and Rachael knows he will be back but until he does come back we have a great sub.

“He always comes off the bridle. There is no race he has ever run in that he didn’t come off the bridle. He came off the bridle at Cheltenham, but Jordan said three strides before the fence he was coming back on the bridle again. There is one thing we know about him is that he would have come up the hill.

“I don’t know if we were good enough to beat Willie’s (Mullins horse, Galopin Des Champs), but we would have been knocking on the door for second or third.

“He is back here today in front of a great crowd and on a lovely track. The ground was a little bit soft for him, but there is nothing that can be done about that. This morning I came across on the flight and I said that I was glad I had him in this race not the bet365 Gold Cup because of the ground being that little bit softer.

“He got home a little bit quicker than I got off our Aer Lingus flight today as we were delayed by four hours from Dublin and I thought we would never get here. We are here, but it may take us four hours to get home now.

“He stays and stays and Rachael is so good at thinking. When he made his mistake she took him back and filled himself up and the next thing he came back on the bridle again. That is what is he does. He is a miracle horse. He has been some horse for me.”

Of the next adventure for horse and trainer, Hanlon added: “I’ve something planned, but I’m not going to say it yet. You will see it in time. I’ve a plan going out for him in six weeks’ time. It won’t be in England or Ireland. He will have to go back to America but we might go somewhere else with him.

“Have horse, will travel.”

Kitty’s Light shines in brilliant Sandown gold run

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Hugely popular staying chaser Kitty’s Light shone once again in taking bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown.

Just seven days after landing the Scottish Grand National, the Christian Williams-trained seven-year-old, who was third to the well-handicapped Hewick in last year’s renewal and was unfortunate the year before that, went one better after a protracted battle with Moroder.

In a deep renewal of the extended three-and-a-half-mile handicap, former King George VI Chase winner Frodon made much of the running, with Moroder upsides five out.

But Bryony Frost’s mount, shouldering top weight, was under pressure at the Pond Fence three out and as the 11-year-old back-peddled, Kitty’s Light was making stealthy headway under Jack Tudor.

There were plenty still in with a chance two out, but the 11-4 favourite, who was carrying just 10st 8lb having escaped a penalty for last week’s success at Ayr, powered up the hill and after jumping upsides at the final fence, strode out smartly to score by two and a half lengths from Moroder.

Revels Hill travelled smoothly only to be outgunned when it mattered and finished a further five and a half lengths down in third, with The Goffer making up ground to take fourth.

Having previously won the Eider at Newcastle, Kitty’s Light completed a hat-trick and became the only the second horse after Hot Weld in 2007 to successfully complete the Scottish National and bet365 Gold Cup Double.

Betfair introduced Kitty’s Light into their 2024 Grand National betting, making him a 40-1 shot for Aintree glory.

Williams said: “Coming into today there were lots of negatives and we put ourselves under pressure running him again just a week later, but we’ve had the horse since he was a yearling and Jack knows him well. We know that when we give him a chance he will do something special.

“His constitution is unbelievable and at this time of year he comes into himself. It’s hard to get him right for 12 months of the year and it’s hard to get these horses right and they tend to just tend to come into themselves.

“When we won last year’s Scottish National with Win My Wings, I trained him for five years and I don’t know where that performance came from and it’s the same here today.

“We train him nice and quietly at home and he doesn’t get knocked about when he runs and Jack was nice and kind on him in the Scottish National.

“He didn’t pull him out (to challenge) until the second last and we had the cheekpieces in the wardrobe for when we needed them.

“There was no plan, he just came out of the race so well. We just felt that he’s a special horse and we wanted to give him the opportunity to do something that not many horses have done.”

Williams was emotional in the aftermath of Ayr, following news his five-year-old daughter Betsy has been diagnosed with leukaemia.

Christian Williams and Jack Tudor after winning the bet365 Gold Cup
Christian Williams and Jack Tudor after winning the bet365 Gold Cup (David Davies for the Jockey Club)

He went on: “Ayr was great last week, we were under pressure there as we’d had such a tough few weeks with Betsy and when we got up there the story was all about Betsy. All the emotions came out when he won whereas today all the focus was just on the result.

“We showed our emotion at Ayr, but today was purely a bonus and it was because he’d come out of the race so well and we wanted to give him the chance to do something special.

“Poor Tilly my older daughter doesn’t get a mention! Hayley Moore ran the London Marathon for Cancer Research and Betsy last week and she messaged me to say she was doing it. She brought me the medal half an hour before the race so I’ve had it on since and it’s just great.

“We’ve got tough times ahead but we’re lucky to be involved in this sport and to see the joy it brings with Betsy, Charlotte (wife) and all the family at home is just a big lift. It’s all down to this horse. People talk about the jockey and the trainer, but the horse is the one who gives us these days and gives us so much joy.”

Tudor said: “He’s a freak, an absolute freak. It’s the only way to describe him. I was worried about the ground when I walked the track as it was sticky as it’s hard enough on that ground and it felt like it.

“With running last week he’s had a hard week and a lot of travelling, but it was a great shout by the owners and Chris to run him. We thought all the facts were there and the boxes ticked to run him and that’s why we ran.

“He’s unbelievable, he’s done some amount (of good) for both mine and Christian’s careers. Everything that Chris and his family are going through is terrible but this horse has done so much to lift them, I spoke to Charlotte and she said that Betsy thinks she’s famous!

“It’s brilliant and I know they’re getting a massive lift from this, it’s bound to be helping.”

Jonbon has Henderson in celebration mode at Sandown

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Jonbon proved a point for Nicky Henderson, taking on and beating senior rivals over two miles in the bet365 Celebration Chase at Sandown.

Sent off the 8-13 favourite for the Grade One feature, Aidan Coleman’s mount, who was runner-up in the Arkle Challenge Trophy to El Fabiolo, had bounced back to score at Aintree on his previous start.

It was something of a surprise Henderson decided to run him again, given his busy back-end to the season, and in open company.

It was not all plain sailing for the brother of Douvan, however. Having led early against his four rivals, he made two jumping errors and was briefly shuffled back to last.

Coleman gave him plenty of time to get his act together and he was soon on the bridle again, and was back in contention by the Pond Fence, where Champion Chase runner-up Captain Guinness and Rachael Blackmore had asserted.

Beating off Greaneteen, who had won this race for the past two years, the pair had it to themselves over the last two fences, but Jonbon’s stamina kicked in, and a superb jump at the last sealed the deal for the three-and-three-quarter-length winner.

Jonbon was cut to 4-1 from 6-1 with Coral for next season’s Ryanair Chase and 6-1 (from 10s) for the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Henderson said: “It was brave (running him). We had ummed and ahhed all week. I’ve been in Punchestown all week and the boys have been getting this fellow ready – Paddy (Murphy) who rides him every day, and Charlie (Morlock), who is my right-hand man, I’ve been talking to them every day and there was just no reason not to run him.

“It is very un-Henderson like sort of tactics. There was no reason I could find (not to run. I was talking to JP (McManus) for three days and he said you have got to earn your corn as you are the trainer. That was my final deciding ball, that if we take these two-milers on we will meet next season and cope with them then we can start thinking of Tingle Creek and things like that next season.

Jonbon in action under Aidan Coleman
Jonbon in action under Aidan Coleman (Steven Paston/PA)

“That (mistake down the back) was the only thing that was probably novicey about him today. It was one where he didn’t know which way to go. He had been very long at the ditch and he just didn’t quite make his mind up. To come back from that as a novice, I think that makes a man of him. Three fences later he is back on the bridle as if nothing had happened but something had happened, something quite significant in fact had happened.

“A lot of horses would have dropped themselves out after that mistake, but I think that is testament to his engine.”

Reflecting on Cheltenham, the Seven Barrows trainer said: “Cheltenham was disappointing. I was worried when this ground was going soft as I didn’t want the chase course going soft as I do think he is a better horse on good ground. He didn’t jump as well as he could at Cheltenham, but take nothing away from the winner (El Fabiolo) who again looked fabulous at Punchestown.

“Two years ago it was Energuemene versus Shishkin. Now the next dust-up is going to be El Fabiolo and Jonbon. It is one all (between them). I do (think on better ground we can get the better of him). I was mighty impressed with El Fabiolo the other day. We have proved today we can take on the best two-milers.

“Today bar one he was excellent and he will be excellent again at Cheltenham I hope next year and there is a lot to look forward to.”

Bay Bridge returns to the fray in red-hot renewal of Prix Ganay

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Sir Michael Stoute has notched 11 Group One victories in France during in a storied career, although the Prix Ganay has thus far eluded him. Bay Bridge will bid to fill that hole on the master trainer’s CV when he lines up at ParisLongchamp.

The Newmarket handler was set to send last season’s Champion Stakes hero to Sandown for his first run of his five-year-old campaign, but decided against taking on former Derby winner Adayar in Friday’s Gordon Richards Stakes, which is perhaps just as well given the fixture was ultimately abandoned.

Instead, he will lock horns with Vadeni, who beat him in the Coral-Eclipse, and fellow Group One scorers Place Du Carrousel, Onesto and Iresine, who are among a field of eight in Sunday’s extended 10-furlong contest.

Bay Bridge started 2022 off by winning the Group Three Brigadier Gerard at Sandown in very taking fashion and was then beaten a length by State Of Rest in the Prince of Wales’s Stake at Royal Ascot.

While things did not go according to plan when hampered as favourite in the Eclipse, he took Baaeed’s unbeaten record and held off Adayar on his final start to gain Group One laurels at Ascot.

James Wigan, who co-owns the son of New Bay with Ballylinch Stud, explained the thinking behind the switch from a planned outing in Esher to a trip to Paris.

“I think he’s fine and has wintered well,” he said. “Sir Michael was thinking of going to Sandown and we changed our minds.

“Sandown was our original thought, but then he would have carried a penalty for being a Group One winner after August, so being 7lb worse off with Adayar would have meant he would have a hard race at any rate, so we felt he might as well have a hard race in a Group One as in a Group Three.

“There are a few other Group One winners in it and it won’t be easy, but he races off level weights and this is a good starting point.”

Bay Bridge looks set for another big season with mid-summer targets fluid at present.

Wigan added: “There will be the usual pattern of races for him. You have the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the end of May, then there’s the Prince of Wales’s, which he was second in last year. You have things like the Juddmonte International. You have to take them one at a time. I’m sure Sir Michael knows where he’ll want to go, but this is a good spot to begin.”

Real World will use the Ganay as a stepping stone for Newbury's Lockinge Stakes
Real World will use the Ganay as a stepping stone for Newbury’s Lockinge Stakes (David Davies/PA)

The other British raider is Real World, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, who had the misfortune to be second to the brilliant Baaeed in both the Lockinge and the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot last year.

The Godolphin handler hopes he can break his Group One duck this term, with Oisin Murphy coming in for the ride on the six-year-old, but feels the Ganay might be a tall order.

Bin Suroor said: “We are going to France and this will be like a preparation for the Lockinge.

“When he goes to the Lockinge, this race will have put him spot on. The Lockinge is a mile, but he won over a mile and a quarter in a Listed race at Newbury.

“France looks a very tough race. We look it as a preparation for the Lockinge, but it would be nice if he could win.

“He’s very good and we are very happy with him.”

Jean-Claude Rouget’s Vadeni was second to Alpinista in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe when beaten half a length.

Vadeni winning the Coral-Eclipse last season
Vadeni winning the Coral-Eclipse last season (Nigel French/PA)

Christophe Soumillon is the Churchill colt’s regular rider and considers the Ganay to be a remarkably competitive race this season.

“I’m very happy to see him back on the track,” the jockey told Sky Sports Racing.

“He worked quite well on Tuesday, we all know the horse isn’t 100 per cent fit and it is the first run of the season.

“He’s going to have a tough season, for sure, we couldn’t believe the Ganay would be that strong.

“I have been doing this job for 25 years now and I haven’t seen a Ganay with so many Group One horses.

“It’s like a strong Champion Stakes race or, with less runners, the Arc – it’s a tough race.”

Nicholls and Cobden forming formidable partnership for the rest to aim at

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Paul Nicholls praised stable jockey Harry Cobden for his role in a season that saw him officially crowned champion jumps trainer for the 14th time at Sandown’s bet365 Jump Finale.

The Ditcheat handler enjoyed a stellar campaign which saw him register his 13th King George thanks to Bravemansgame’s Christmas triumph and also return to the Cheltenham Festival winner’s enclosure following a three-year hiatus with a Prestbury Park double.

All of that leaves Nicholls just one title away from matching Martin Pipe on 15 championships – and he was keen to pay tribute to an instrumental part of team Ditcheat and a man who has partnered just shy of 100 winners for him this term.

Harry Cobden celebrates with Paul Nicholls after Stage Star won the Turners Novices’ Chase on day three of the Cheltenham Festival
Harry Cobden celebrates with Paul Nicholls after Stage Star won the Turners Novices’ Chase on day three of the Cheltenham Festival (David Davies for The Jockey Club/PA)

“He’s 24 and he’s still young for a jump jockey. But he’s getting experienced now, he’s fit and strong and he thinks about a race,” Nicholls said.

“I don’t think anyone is riding better than him, in my opinion he is if not the best, one of the best jump jockeys riding at the minute.

“He’s a big team player and he comes in every day and he schools. He’s just getting better and better and has been brilliant this year.”

Although Cobden was numerically adrift of Brian Hughes in the race to be named champion jockey, he has been a standing dish in the winner’s enclosure at the end of the season’s big races with a plethora of Grade One contests secured.

Paul Nicholls receives his trophy at Sandown
Paul Nicholls receives his trophy at Sandown (Steven Paston/PA)

“He’s one of the big players and he could be champion jockey one day, but I don’t think he measures his success on that,” added Nicholls.

“If it was done on prize-money he would be a million in front of Brian Hughes, he’s earned an amazing amount of prize-money.

“If he’s champion jockey one day, I’m sure he would love it – but I don’t think that’s his number one priority and I think he will be happy just to keep on winning big races and doing as well as he has.”

Nicholls’ thirst for success has seen him dominate the 2022-23 season with the title sewn up at the conclusion of Aintree’s Grand National Festival.

Despite the emergence of Bravemansgame as a leading figure in the staying chase division, his latest crown has been won through the sheer consistency of his whole string rather than the achievements of a select squad of superstars, and Nicholls believes it is a huge testament to his staff at his Somerset base that his string has continued to thrive throughout the campaign.

“To get to 14 championships is beyond my wildest dreams and to be a million (pounds) in front of Dan (Skelton), that’s a lot really,” continued Nicholls, speaking on a call hosted by Great British Racing. “We’ve had some fantastic horses who have been consistent all season, and I’m thrilled.

“We set the record of prize-money that we won in a season back in 2008 and, of course, we had all those superstars – Master Minded, Denman, Kauto (Star), Neptune (Collonges) and Big Buck’s. We haven’t got quite that team now, so to do that now reflects well on the team as a whole.

“What I think is fantastic is we have had a 28 per cent strike-rate throughout the season. I think that reflects well on everybody – the team, the jockeys, the owners. Twenty-eight per cent strike-rate for the season is the best we’ve ever achieved, so that has been good.”

Sir Alex Ferguson (right) and Paul Nicholls watch the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival
Sir Alex Ferguson (right) and Paul Nicholls watch the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival (Andrew Matthews/PA)

With 14 titles safely locked away in the Manor Farm trophy cabinet, Nicholls’ attention switches to next season where his immediate focus will be holding off the challenge of protegee Skelton and Nicky Henderson, while he also has the mammoth feat of 4,000 winners in his sights.

He said: “We’ll have to keep Dan at bay and Nicky has a lovely team of horses as well – he hasn’t quite had the winners this year, but he’s just as likely to bounce back.

“It’s always competitive, but those two seem to be the main threats in terms of the championship, and Fergal O’Brien is on the fringe of that. He’s done very well and probably just needs one or two better horses.

Horse Racing – Paddy Power Imperial Cup Day – Sandown
Paul Nicholls has his sights on passing Martin Pipe’s tally of winners in the next few seasons (Daniel Hambury/PA)

“The championship is all about prize-money and luckily we’ve trained both the most winners and earned the most money (this season) which is very satisfying.”

He went on: “I would love to train 4,000 jumps winners – no one has done that before – and I would love to be the first one to do it. Martin’s total was 3,900 and something, and we’re closing that down. And the championship – I would love to win that 16 times, of course I would.

“Martin was a brilliant trainer and there was not quite as much racing then, so to train the winners he did was incredible. It would be nice to either equal or beat that.”

Impaire Et Passe an emphatic winner at Punchestown

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Impaire Et Passe showed a neat turn of foot and powered to victory in the Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle for jockey Paul Townend and trainer Willie Mullins.

The five-year-old ran well within himself and Townend rode the Cheltenham’s Ballymore winner with supreme poise.

Send off a 1-3 favourite against just four rivals, he sat third throughout much of the extended two miles and three furlongs of the Grade One contest.

Though Impaire Et Passe made a novicey mistake six out, which saw him with plenty of ground to make up, Townend appeared to ooze confidence as stablemate Champ Kiely and the Joseph O’Brien-trained High Definition set the pace.

There was still plenty to do approaching two out and for a brief moment, High Definition and JJ Slevin looked set to cause a shock.

But Townend had plenty up his sleeve and the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned gelding soon cruised upsides and went to the front on the bridle after being given a reminder that this was not simply a piece of work.

Jumping clear at the last, he stormed home to record a seven-and-a-half length success, with High Definition hanging on for second, despite stumbling when hitting the running rail after jumping the last.

Mullins was far from happy with the performance, however.

He said: “He didn’t impress me at all, I was delighted he won, but throughout the race he wasn’t impressing me.

“He looked like he wasn’t enjoying it and maybe Cheltenham took much more out of him than we thought.

“At home he was on fire and maybe I did too much with him, because he was going so well.

“It’s hard to say something went wrong when you win by seven and-a half lengths.

“Maybe he loves the hill in Cheltenham, he just got going up the hill, whereas today is a flat track. I’ll have a quick chat with Paul later on and see what he thought.

“Turning for home, I wouldn’t have backed him, so to win after that just means that he has a huge engine, but he wasn’t really in love with what he was doing today, whether it was the ground or what I don’t know.

“I think we’ll freshen him up now. I was thinking maybe of going to France but I won’t, I think I’ll just put him away.”

Townend and Mullins were not too impressed with Impaire Et Passe
Townend and Mullins were not too impressed with Impaire Et Passe (Brian Lawless/PA)

Townend echoed the sentiments, hinting his charge needed waking up.

He said: “It was not as straightforward as I was hoping. Maybe it was just because I was left on my own. I think everyone could see that I was never really happy throughout the race.

“When I got upsides them, he came on the bridle for me and his class shone through then.”

He added: “He’ll have no problem jumping a fence, but I’d say it will depend on what the horse across the water (Constitution Hill) is doing as well!”

Anthony Bromley, racing representative of owners Isaac Souede and Simon Munir and the man who purchases most of their horses, intimated that while the five-year-old has the size to be a chaser, the move to larger obstacles might be put on hold while the education process continues.

“He was quite switched off in the race and Paul had to wind him up a little bit turning but he picked up,” noted Bromley.

“To be fair, some of his races haven’t always been impressive. In the Moscow Flyer (at Punchestown), he wasn’t ‘Wow,’ and that’s why they went up in trip. He just needs to be woken up. I think there’s so much talent under the bonnet and I think he’s still a work in progress.

A chasing career could be delayed for Impaire Et Passe
A chasing career could be delayed for Impaire Et Passe (Brian Lawless/PA)

“He’s a big frame of a horse. He only had one bumper run last year and that’s his fourth hurdle run. I think the plan might be to stay hurdling and learn a bit more. But, the great Willie will tell us. In Willie we trust!

“You worry turning in slightly, you have a little moment, and suddenly by the line it’s clear and he’s winning easing down. He’s got great potential.”

The ‘Double Green’ colours had already enjoyed Grade One success at the meeting, with El Fabiolo on Thursday.

“There’s a lot of nice youngsters at Willie’s and it’s so exciting,” Bromley said.

“Isaac and Simon get a lot of fun from it. They love the Dublin Racing Festival, they love Cheltenham but Punchestown has really worked and they’ve been here all week, and to get two nice big winners – proper big winners – and horses that look like they might be superstars, is brilliant.

“And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? They put a lot into it. They’ve got a lot of horses and we’ve kissed a lot of frogs. But these two are exciting.”

State Man in cruise control without Constitution Hill

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State Man justified odds-on favouritism with consummate ease in the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.

The Willie Mullins-trained gelding had won four Grade Ones in succession before having his colours lowered by Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham last month.

But without Nicky Henderson’s star to contend with, Paul Townend’s mount was backed as if defeat was out of the question and those who took the restrictive odds of 2-5 never had a moment’s concern.

Townend was happy to lob along in front with stablemate Vauban saving ground to his inside and Pied Piper on his left flank.

Willie Mullins with State Man
Willie Mullins with State Man (Brian Lawless/PA)

However, State Man was asked to stretch three out, and whipping round the final turn, he took two lengths out of his rivals and had the race won approaching the last.

Although he got in a little tight, the six-year-old steadied himself and drew clear to score by three lengths from Vauban. There was plenty of daylight back to the staying-on Colonel Mustard.

Townend said: “He has been beating these horses all year and, thankfully, he was able to do it again today.

“As I said when I made it in Leopardstown, I thought he would be better with a lead and probably a bit the same there.

“He just looks to be the best of that bunch – he just ran into a superstar in Cheltenham.”

Mullins said: “Paul said if nothing was going on he’d make his own running and keep it simple.

“He just missed the last, but Paul said with where he would have had to stand off he just let him fiddle it instead. That’s what you want in a hurdler when they are too far back, to go in and fiddle it.

Paul Townend returns victorious with State Man
Paul Townend returns victorious with State Man (Brian Lawless/PA)

“He’s done enough for the season. We’ll freshen him up now and get him back to do the same things next season, I hope.

“I can’t really see him going over fences, I’d say he’ll be a hurdle horse. I don’t know whether I need to go out in trip with him.

“He’s a horse that still has improvement in him.”

On his run at Cheltenham, the Closutton trainer said: “Constitution Hill was just brilliant so we were happy to be second and he’s going to be hard to beat.”

When it was put to him about the change of tactics today, he added: “I’m not sure we wanted to make the running for Constitution Hill at Cheltenham. If we did that and got beaten we would have said we should have done something different.

“We did what we did and I was happy. Maybe if the opportunity happens next time we might do that. He’s well able to do it from the front and I think he’s relaxing a lot more now which is a big help.”

Impervious in a different league at Punchestown

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Colm Murphy’s top-class mare Impervious sauntered to success in the Hanlon Concrete Irish EBF Glencarraig Lady Francis Flood Mares Chase at Punchestown to remain unbeaten over fences.

The seven-year-old had taken her winning spree to four in the Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and her fifth victory could not have been any easier.

Tracking long-time leader Instit – one of three Willie Mullins-trained runners in the field of six – Brian Hayes’ mount cruised upsides three out when the leader blundered and quickly put daylight between herself and her toiling rivals.

Foot-perfect throughout the two miles and five furlongs of the Grade Two contest, the 8-11 favourite was eased to an 11-length triumph, with Instit holding off stablemate Allegorie De Vassy to claim second.

Murphy said: “She’s been an absolute revelation and it’s amazing how much she has improved from run to run. She’s stronger now than she was on any day during the year.

“She has loads of options and we can dream away for the summer. She can go up or down in trip, it doesn’t matter to her. She’s just a proper one.

“I’m sure JP(McManus) and Frank (Berry) will have a plan for her and she’ll slot in with the rest of theirs. We’re more than happy to go along with that.

“She seems to be settling better, she’s not as hard on herself and she’s making life easier for everyone.

“Every year when you come back here after Cheltenham you are afraid of what mark Cheltenham has left on them. On the evidence there she seems to be getting better.

“Hopefully she’ll keep improving, she’s learning a lot and settled better today.”

Impervious and Brian Hayes in full flight
Impervious and Brian Hayes in full flight (Brian Lawless/PA)

Murphy knows all about championship performers, having been responsible for the brilliantly tough hurdler Brave Inca.

He added: “She’s pure genuine and she’ll do her best for you. Without an exaggeration she would go through a wall for you. If you pointed her at it there is no doubt she’d take it on for you.

“You don’t come across too many of them too often, but when you do they are pretty special and she seems to be one of those.

“It’s nice to have her and it’s nice pressure to have. It’s nice to come here rather than going for an 80-95 down the country.”

Hayes said: “It doesn’t seem to matter whatever trip. She won over two miles down in Cork and two (miles) five (furlongs) today. She seems to go easy whatever gallop we are going

“She always picks up for a finish and finds more.”