BRITISH RAIDERS TAKE ON BEST OF IRISH AT PUNCHESTOWN - On His Own could meet Henderson duo Bobs Worth and Long Run in Bibby Financial Services Punchestown Gold Cup - Boylesports Champion Chase challenge includes Sizing Europe, Champagne Fever, Somersby and Module - Cheltenham winner Very Wood bids for another Grade 1 - Mullins star novices Faugheen, Vautour and Don Poli all entered There promises to be fantastic racing from start to finish at the 2014 Punchestown Festival, taking place from Tuesday, April 29 to Saturday, May 3, after entries for the meetings feature events closed this week. Those engaged in the early-closing Grade 1s on days one and two of the Punchestown Festival are revealed today and they include many of the Irish and British star names that have shone at the recent Cheltenham and Aintree meetings. The BIBBY FINANCIAL SERVICES PUNCHESTOWN GOLD CUP on Wednesday, April 30, has €200,000 in prize money and an exciting new sponsor this year for what promises to be an ultra-competitive renewal with a great clash between the best of the British and Irish. The Willie Mullins-trained On His Own, who was beaten a short-head in a dramatic Cheltenham Gold Cup last month, will bid to go one better. He looks set to be joined in the three miles and one furlong Grade 1 event by stablemate Boston Bob, also owned by Graham and Andrea Wylie and winner of last weeks Grade 1 Melling Chase at Aintree. Meanwhile, British champion trainer Nicky Henderson has entered a pair of Cheltenham Gold Cup winners. Henderson is considering running Long Run, the 2011 Cheltenham hero and a dual King George VI Chase scorer, following his fall in Saturdays Grand National while Bobs Worth - the 2013 Gold Cup winner - could also line up after finishing fifth when favourite for this years contest. We have given Bobs Worth an entry and we will see nearer the race whether we go to Punchestown, revealed Henderson. We have actually done very little with him since his run at Cheltenham and weve got a bit of time to decide whether we bring him over. I always enjoy Punchestown and had a fantastic time there last year with Sprinter Sacre. The Tom Taaffe-trained Argocat and First Lieutenant, from Mouse Morriss stable, are other possible starters having finished third and fourth in the Betfred Bowl at Aintree. Also entered are the Kim Bailey-trained Harry Topper, winner of the Argento Chase at Cheltenham in January, the Paul Nicholls-trained Bury Parade and Medermit, from Alan Kings stable. MODULE AND SOMERSBY COULD BE JOINED BY STAR NOVICES Tuesdays feature is the €200,000 Grade 1 BOYLESPORTS.COM CHAMPION CHASE and the home team look to face a strong challenge from Britain. The likes of 2012 winner Sizing Europe, Ryanair Chase runner-up Hidden Cyclone and the Mouse Morris-trained Baily Green are among the Irish entries but they could meet British raiders Somersby and Module, who finished second and third in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham. Trainer Mick Channon, better known for his exploits on the Flat, is favouring bringing over Somersby, who has been in great form this season, for the two-mile showpiece. He ran a cracker at Cheltenham and we were absolutely delighted with him. Punchestown will be a different race and we just hope that the ground is not too soft for him there, said Channon. His jumping has always been his hang-up but he jumped great in the Champion Chase and Hen (Knight) did some intensive training with him beforehand. We hope that he can be competitive. We will see what the month brings with Somersby but we are very keen to have a go with him at either Punchestown or Sandown. Queen Mother Champion Chase third Module, a late withdrawal from the Melling Chase at Aintree, is also on course for Punchestown. Module is fine at the moment and it was unlucky that he got a bit of a tummy ache half an hour before he was due to run at Aintree. It was nothing serious and he has been back cantering ever since - he could even have run the next day. It was a completely random thing as he was just very uncomfortable on the day, said trainer Tom George, who is planning to send over a sizeable team to the Punchestown Festival this year. He hasnt come down the hill at Cheltenham on both his chase starts there and he was flying at the end. Hes a very lightly-raced horse and I think a stiff track like Punchestown would suit him. The Alan King-trained Balder Succes, runaway winner of the Maghull Novices Chase at Aintree on Saturday, could step up to championship grade for this event as could another top novice, the Willie Mullins-trained Champagne Fever, who was beaten a head in the Racing Post Arkle Chase at Cheltenham. Writing on his website, King revealed: Balder Succes delivered impressively in the Grade 1 novice chase on Saturday, and I see the handicapper has put him up 9lb to 162, so we are climbing towards the top of the two-mile tree. It paid off not going to Cheltenham and he is still relatively fresh, so he may well go to Punchestown for their big two-miler. We know he stays a little bit further, but at the moment I would be inclined to stick to two miles. He has to improve a bit but we will see how far down the Champion Chase route he can go. Another summer on his back may just help. The strong entries also include Cheltenham Festival winner Ballynagour from David Pipes stable. VERY WOOD AIMING TO BUILD ON CHELTENHAM SUCCESS The three-mile Grade 1 IRISH DAILY MIRROR NOVICE HURDLE on Wednesday, April 30, is shaping into an outstanding event with trainer Noel Meade today confirming that Very Wood - winner of the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham - will line up. Very Wood definitely goes to Punchestown for the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle, all going well. He did it well at Cheltenham - the favourite Briar Hill came down but our horse stayed on well. He proved what we always thought of him - that hes a good staying hurdler - and the step up to three miles certainly helped him, said Meade. He was lame the day before he ran at Cheltenham and it looked like he wasnt going to run but, with the power of prayer, he got there and it didnt seem to bother him too much on the day. He doesnt have to travel for Punchestown, which always makes it easier. We always felt that he would go on soft ground but he is a good-moving horse and he certainly coped with good ground at Cheltenham, although I wouldnt like to run him on anything quicker. Possible opponents among the 29-strong entry include the Nicky Henderson-trained Beat That, an outstanding winner of the Grade 1 Sefton Novices Hurdle at Aintree last week, and several of Willie Mullins star novices including the Cheltenham winners Don Poli, Faugheen and Vautour. RECKLESS TAKES ON VAUTOUR AGAIN Mick Channon is hoping that Sgt Reckless, runner-up in the Top Novices Hurdle at Aintree last week, can finish his season on a high in the Grade 1 HERALD CHAMPION NOVICE HURDLE on the Punchestown Festivals opening day. I was very pleased with Sgt Reckless run at Aintree. He has come out of the race in great form and we have given him an entry at Punchestown. I would be hopeful of another good run if he went there, said Channon. The rain at Aintree may have gone against him a little bit but it was jumping ground and you are going to get that most of the time. I wouldnt want it too soft for him as he is a top of the ground horse. He has got lots of speed and comes with one run, so he wants to get there as late as he can in his races. Hes a very good horse. The seven-year-old is likely to face the Willie Mullins-trained Vautour, to whom he was a fast-finishing fourth in the Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham, among some strong opposition in the 20 entries. ASSEMBLY AMONG STRONG GROWISE CHAMPION NOVICE CHASE ENTRY Pat Fahys stable star Morning Assembly, winner of last seasons Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle at Punchestown, has been given an entry in the Bibby Financial Services Punchestown Gold Cup and his trainer has still to decide whether to go for that contest or the Grade 1 GROWISE CHAMPION NOVICE CHASE on the Festivals opening day, for which he is one of 19 entries. Morning Assembly has been in great form since his run at Cheltenham and is doing really well at the moment, said Fahy. We entered him in both races to keep our options open and will have a good look at both races before we make a decision. He seems to really like Punchestown. Willie Mullins, who won the 2012 race with Sir Des Champs, has a powerful hand this year that includes the likes of Ballycasey, Champagne Fever and Mozoltov. Cheltenham Festival winner Spring Heeled could represent trainer Jim Culloty while the Ted Walsh-trained Foxrock, a dual Grade 2 winner this season, could bid for a first success at the top level. Entries for the Thursday, Friday and Saturday early-closing Grade 1 races at the 2014 Punchestown Festival will be announced tomorrow (Friday, April 11). The Punchestown Irish National Hunt Festival takes place from Tuesday, April 29, to Saturday, May 3
Posted on: Thu, 10 Apr 2014 12:17:26 +0000