BANBRIDGE GOT UP in the final stride to deny Captain Guinness a Champion Chase double in a pulsating renewal of the feature event on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival.
Nine runners went to post for the William Hill Champion Chase, with Mares’ Chase runner-up Dinoblue the 11-10 favourite to beat the boys and provide Willie Mullins with a sixth successive victory in this extended two-mile contest.
Henry de Bromhead’s Captain Guinness was bidding to follow up victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on his most recent outing and looked likely to do so after taking over from the pacesetting Dysart Dynamo at the top of the home straight under Rachael Blackmore.
Mark Walsh was more vigorous in the saddle in behind aboard Dinoblue and while she did respond to pressure to close in on Captain Guinness at the final fence, she was unable to get on terms.
However, Captain Guinness was then reeled in by Joseph O’Brien’s fast-finishing 6-1 shot Banbridge on the run-in.
“It was a fantastic race, a great two-mile chase, and a fantastic ride from JJ. I’m delighted for Ronnie (Bartlett, owner) and everyone to have a big winner here in Punchestown,” said O’Brien.
Earlier, Mystical Power finished with a flourish to reverse Cheltenham Festival form with Slade Steel in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle.
Henry de Bromhead’s Slade Steel had proved too strong for the Mullins-trained Mystical Power in the latter stages of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in mid-March.
There was little to choose between the pair in the betting for the rematch on home soil, but Mystical Power was the narrow favourite at 2-1 and ultimately took his revenge.
The extended two-mile contest was run at a strong gallop from flag-fall thanks to the Danny Mullins-ridden Ile Atlantique, but the race changed complexion quickly racing down the back straight, as both he and nearest pursuer Tullyhill back-peddled rapidly.
Slade Steel arrived on the scene seemingly travelling best rounding the final bend, but he found disappointingly little for Rachael Blackmore once coming under pressure, whereas Mystical Power – a son of Galileo out of the great racemare Annie Power – powered home from further back in the hands of Mark Walsh to score by a length and three-quarters.
“He showed resilience and toughness today, he’s been improving all season,” Mullins said of the winner. “It’s fantastic that he’s progressed as the season has gone on and I think Annie Power is coming out in him.”
Finally, Spillane’s Tower made it back-to-back Grade One victories for trainer Jimmy Mangan with a determined display in the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase.
Best known as the trainer of 2003 Grand National hero Monty’s Pass, Mangan was claiming his first top-level success in 16 years when this JP McManus-owned gelding landed the WillowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse on Easter Sunday, with Conna Castle his only previous Grade One winner in the same race in 2008.
Stepping up to three miles for the first time, Spillane’s Tower was a 5-2 joint-favourite for his latest big-race assignment and came out on top after a titanic tussle with market rival Monty’s Star.
Three Card Brag took the field along for much of the way before the big two settled down to fight it out in the straight.
While Spillane’s Tower travelled the better of the pair, Monty’s Star, who found only the much-heralded Fact To File too strong in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, dug deep to stay in the fight, but Mangan’s charge proved three-quarters of a length too strong.
