IL ETAIT TEMPS again demonstrated his class as he won at the highest level for the eighth time in adding the William Hill Champion Chase at the Punchestown Festival to his two-mile crown from Cheltenham.
Marine Nationale – who completed the same double 12 months ago – took the field along in company with Majborough, with Paul Townend happy to drop the Willie Mullins-trained Il Etait Temps in the middle of the five runners.
Townend had given Il Etait Temps time to find his stride again after an earlier mistake and started to get lower in the saddle aboard the 8-11 favourite as they approached three from home, jumping two out in front.
He then stretched out to leave Marine Nationale – who has had an interrupted campaign – in his wake, winning by five lengths as the veteran Energumene kept on for a distant but creditable third – after which he was immediately retired.
Paul Townend celebrates winning. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
Mullins said of his winner: “He is a hell of a horse and when you look at him, he doesn’t exactly scream a big chaser to you. He isn’t a big horse, but he is strong.
“He has huge reserves as, having made that mistake, I thought ‘wow’ as he came up beside Marine Nationale afterwards at the third-last. Marine Nationale is a fair horse to beat as he has a fair engine.
“To do what he did having fallen at Ascot (Clarence House Chase in January) and come back to win at Cheltenham was special, when Paul was in top-flight jockey mode.
“Majborough needs a longer trip, he might be better going slower over a longer trip and getting his act together.”
Western Fold gave Gordon Elliott’s trainers’ championship bid a boost as he came out on top on the run-in to the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase.
Brown Advisory hero Kitzbuhel bowled along at the front in the Grade One affair, but faded at the business end with July Flower taking it up as they headed to the final fence.
Western Fold jumped much the better to land in the lead, with Fleur In The Park and Nowwhatdoyouthink also in the mix as the quartet battled it out and Kitzbuhel was pulled up.
Jack Kennedy on Western Fold celebrates winning. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
But in the end it was the 18-1 Elliott runner that was much the stronger in the hands of Jack Kennedy, to land the €73,625 first prize by three and three-quarter lengths from Andrew Slattery’s Fleur In The Park.
Elliott said: “That is great and while I was nervous of the three miles, the last two times we tried him over it we rode him too handy. We rode him cold today and it was a good performance. Some horses come to the end of their season around now, but he has been busier than most and is one of the top five earners this season.
“We initially thought about going for the American Grand National, a race Zanahiyr won last year for us, and while we have tried Western Fold in open company in Ireland and it didn’t work out, the American race is a Grade One so is nothing to be sneezed at.
Gordon Elliott. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
“I’m not saying we won’t go to America, but there is also the PWC Champion Chase at Gowran in October for him too and maybe we could pot hunt. The key to this horse is the ground and he is a stone better on it.”
He added: “He will have a little break now and while I’d love to go back for the Galway Plate, he might be too high in the weights after today.”
Eachtotheirown made every yard to win the Grade One PRL Champion Novice Hurdle on the opening day.
Sean Flanagan on Eachtotheirown wins The PRL Champion Novice Hurdle (Grade 1). Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
Sean Flanagan immediately sent the seven-year-old to the head of the field and the 16-1 shot never saw another rival as he galloped home by four and a quarter lengths from the staying-on Blake.
Favourite El Cairos was the first to lay down a challenge two flights out but could not keep pace with the Barry Connell inmate and was soon treading water, as Eachtotheirown saw off Blake and Le Labo on the level with the Gordon Elliott-trained El Cairos only fourth.
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Il Etait Temps rules supreme with Punchestown-Cheltenham double
IL ETAIT TEMPS again demonstrated his class as he won at the highest level for the eighth time in adding the William Hill Champion Chase at the Punchestown Festival to his two-mile crown from Cheltenham.
Marine Nationale – who completed the same double 12 months ago – took the field along in company with Majborough, with Paul Townend happy to drop the Willie Mullins-trained Il Etait Temps in the middle of the five runners.
Townend had given Il Etait Temps time to find his stride again after an earlier mistake and started to get lower in the saddle aboard the 8-11 favourite as they approached three from home, jumping two out in front.
He then stretched out to leave Marine Nationale – who has had an interrupted campaign – in his wake, winning by five lengths as the veteran Energumene kept on for a distant but creditable third – after which he was immediately retired.
Mullins said of his winner: “He is a hell of a horse and when you look at him, he doesn’t exactly scream a big chaser to you. He isn’t a big horse, but he is strong.
“He has huge reserves as, having made that mistake, I thought ‘wow’ as he came up beside Marine Nationale afterwards at the third-last. Marine Nationale is a fair horse to beat as he has a fair engine.
“To do what he did having fallen at Ascot (Clarence House Chase in January) and come back to win at Cheltenham was special, when Paul was in top-flight jockey mode.
“Majborough needs a longer trip, he might be better going slower over a longer trip and getting his act together.”
Western Fold gave Gordon Elliott’s trainers’ championship bid a boost as he came out on top on the run-in to the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase.
Brown Advisory hero Kitzbuhel bowled along at the front in the Grade One affair, but faded at the business end with July Flower taking it up as they headed to the final fence.
Western Fold jumped much the better to land in the lead, with Fleur In The Park and Nowwhatdoyouthink also in the mix as the quartet battled it out and Kitzbuhel was pulled up.
But in the end it was the 18-1 Elliott runner that was much the stronger in the hands of Jack Kennedy, to land the €73,625 first prize by three and three-quarter lengths from Andrew Slattery’s Fleur In The Park.
Elliott said: “That is great and while I was nervous of the three miles, the last two times we tried him over it we rode him too handy. We rode him cold today and it was a good performance. Some horses come to the end of their season around now, but he has been busier than most and is one of the top five earners this season.
“We initially thought about going for the American Grand National, a race Zanahiyr won last year for us, and while we have tried Western Fold in open company in Ireland and it didn’t work out, the American race is a Grade One so is nothing to be sneezed at.
“I’m not saying we won’t go to America, but there is also the PWC Champion Chase at Gowran in October for him too and maybe we could pot hunt. The key to this horse is the ground and he is a stone better on it.”
He added: “He will have a little break now and while I’d love to go back for the Galway Plate, he might be too high in the weights after today.”
Eachtotheirown made every yard to win the Grade One PRL Champion Novice Hurdle on the opening day.
Sean Flanagan immediately sent the seven-year-old to the head of the field and the 16-1 shot never saw another rival as he galloped home by four and a quarter lengths from the staying-on Blake.
Favourite El Cairos was the first to lay down a challenge two flights out but could not keep pace with the Barry Connell inmate and was soon treading water, as Eachtotheirown saw off Blake and Le Labo on the level with the Gordon Elliott-trained El Cairos only fourth.
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Horse Racing Paul Townend Punchestown Willie Mullins