Horse Racing: Punchestown Gold Cup

The Ultima is the first handicap on the Cheltenham Festival schedule - and it's fair to say last year's renewal was red hot. Corach Rambler sliced his way through the field in the closing stages to successfully defend his crown before landing the following month's Aintree Grand National, while the runner-up, Fastorslow, went on to beat Galopin Des…

Cheltenham will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Gold Cup at next year's meeting - and it looks set to be a humdinger of a renewal. Willie Mullins' stable star Galopin Des Champs is the defending champion after a titanic battle with King George winner Bravemansgame in last season's race, although some new rivals could be bidding to steal…

Galopin Des Champs is bidding to retain the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup and faces just three rivals in Saturday's renewal at Leopardstown. Fastorslow is bidding to upset the apple cart for a third time after getting the better of Willie Mullins' stable star in the Punchestown Gold Cup and John Durkan last year, however. Galopin Des Champs'…

Patrick Mullins is optimistic that Allaho retains enough of his undoubted ability to strike gold in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. Two brilliant performances in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham and a 14-length demolition job in the Punchestown Gold Cup are testament to the Cheveley Park Stud-owned nine-year-old's…

Deputy Ireland editor and Upping The Ante star David Jennings takes you through the card on day two of the Punchestown festival on Wednesday headlined by the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup (5.55). T&C's apply18+begambleaware.org 3.40 Punchestown Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle, 2m4f Treacherous stuff so tread carefully and keep…

Al Boum Photo is the 13/8 favourite with Paddy Power for the Punchestown Gold Cup after Minella Indo was declared a non-runner. Henry de Bromhead noticed Minella Indo had a bruised foot on Monday and decided against sending the Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning superstar to Punchestown for his intended season finale. "It's a very minor thing, but it's…

UNHINDERED by my last-minute €10 win bet at 9/1 with Darragh Fitzpatrick, the French-bred Fastorslow confirmed his place among the highest echelons of chasing on Sunday. When I was reporting on the 2018 Arqana Summer Mixed Sale, I wrote the following about Fastorslow. Bertrand Le Métayer had to go to €100000 to take home a son of Saint Des Saints…

Willie Mullins has hailed Gaelic Warrior's chase debut as "extraordinary" and is toying with the idea of dropping back to the minimum trip rather than stepping up to three miles again in the near future. Gaelic Warrior is as short as 3-1 favourite with some firms for the 2024 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, and he did win the Grade 1 Irish Daily…

Punchestown officials anticipate more than 10000 people through the turnstiles as the latest Winter Festival takes place there this weekend. A Grade One double-header starts on Saturday featuring the €120000 Unibet Morgiana Hurdle while 24 hours later the Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs returns to action in the John Durkan Chase. Both days' action…

March 10th, 2019; January 15th, 2020; December 4th, 2021; and November 15th, 2022. Four racing epiphanies in each of the last four jumps seasons, the instant realisation you have witnessed something very special. To fill in the blanks the first of those was Chacun Pour Soi's chasing debut in Ireland; the second was Shishkin's first novice hurdle…

All that stands between Willie Mullins and a sixth John Durkan Chase success in a row, an eighth in nine years and a tenth in all, is Martin Brassil and his surprise package Fastorslow, who came from nowhere to emerge as one of the best staying chasers in training last season and takes on the Mullins quintet. The Punchestown Gold Cup last April was…

talkSPORT have you covered for the horse racing with tips and free bets for the day's fixtures at Punchestown, Uttoxeter and Exeter. Tom Lunn has gone through the race cards, form, going and much more to help guide your horse racing betting choices. Uncle Phil is an interesting runner after beating Gracchus De Balme comfortably at Listowel. That…

Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs gets the chance to gain revenge for his surprise defeat to Fastorslow at Punchestown in the spring when the two meet in the John Durkan Memorial Chase. The Willie Mullins-trained Galopin Des Champs looked imperious at Cheltenham, proving his stamina over three and a quarter miles when that was the only real…

Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs gets the chance to gain revenge for his surprise defeat to Fastorslow at Punchestown in the spring when the two meet in the John Durkan Memorial Chase, live on Racing TV. The Willie Mullins-trained Galopin Des Champs looked imperious at Cheltenham, proving his stamina over three and a quarter miles when that was…

With due respect to Royal Pagaille and Grand National hero Corach Rambler, the Betfair Chase, the first Grade One contest of the British jumps season, shapes as a match between defending champion Protektorat and Bravemansgame, an impressive winner of last season's King George. The classy duo met in last season's Gold Cup where Bravemansgame crossed…

Some of Ireland's finest equine talent will be suited and booted at Punchestown Racecourse this weekend as the Irish jumps season ramps up a gear with two Grade 1 races. The weather forecast for Saturday and Sunday is for mainly dry weather. Both the highest rated hurdler and chaser in Ireland are primed for the Punchestown Winter Festival over the…

LISGOOLD jockey Paul Townend recorded a double in the twin features at Clonmel on their marquee card of the season. He landed the featured €60k Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase on the dual Ryanair Chase winner Allaho. The Cheveley Park Stud nine-year-old had been off the track for 561 days, since his spectacular victory in the Punchestown Gold Cup in…

Jumps fans are served up a midweek treat in Ireland on Thursday as one of the sport's superstars makes his long-awaited return in the Clonmel Oil Chase. Willie Mullins has landed seven of the last 10 editions of the Grade Two feature at Powerstown Park, with Champagne Fever (2014), Kemboy (2018) and Douvan (2019) among those on the roll of…

The Cheveley Park-owned chaser was last seen winning the Punchestown Gold Cup by 14 lengths over three miles from Clan Des Obeaux in the April of 2022 and he missed a planned return in last season's Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival due to an abdominal bleed. His preparation for the upcoming campaign has gone well, though, and with no…

Cheltenham staged its first fixture of the new National Hunt season over the weekend, with two days of exciting action. Irish-trained horses won five of the 14 races at the Cotswolds venue over Friday and Saturday and the Irish domination will be expected to continue at the Festival in March. Here are four horses we like the look of at each-way…

Trainer Noel Meade after sending out Disko, with Bryan Cooper up, to win the Growise Champion Novice Steeplechase at Punchestown Racecourse in Naas, Co. Kildare. Photo by Cody Glenn/Sportsfile Despite plying his early trade among the flat racers of the Irish racing scene, Noel Meade would come to be known as one of the most successful national hunt…

The second day of the Punchestown Festival provides the pick of Wednesday's six race meetings across the UK and Ireland. The Co Kildare circuit stages three Grade 1 events, headlined by the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup at 5.55pm. Our racing expert has three selections from the card, which features eight races from 3.40-7.45pm. Wednesday's nap…

PUNCHESTOWN has become a favoured spot for the announcement of retirements, though it has usually been from the saddle. Riding a winner at the famous festival of National Hunt racing, coming as it does at the close of the season, has set the scene for some notable retirements in recent years. Memorable among these was Katie Walsh's announcement…

Willie Mullins was responsible for 11 of the 16 runners who contested the three Grade 1s on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival and he had a 1-2 in the Champion Novice Hurdle and a 1-2-3-4 the Champion Chase. However, his four-strong team in the Champion Novice Chase had to settle for minor honours as his nephew Emmet sent out Feronily to…

Martin Brassil's Fastorslow caused a huge shock in the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup at Punchestown. Beaten by subsequent Grand National winner Corach Rambler in a handicap at the Cheltenham Festival, he was sent off a 20-1 chance against Gold Cup one-two Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame. It was Paul Nicholls' Bravemansgame who attempted to…

Day two of the Punchestown festival gets under way on Wednesday afternoon with top-class chaser Galopin Des Champs starring in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup ( ). Here, we look ahead to the action and keep you updated with everything you need to know before the first race at 3.40. Willie Mullins made a flying start to the Punchestown…

2023-04-26Punchestown Gold Cup: Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame stunned by Fastorslow and JJ Slevin Martin Brassil's Fastorslow caused a huge shock in the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup at Punchestown. Beaten by subsequent Grand National winner Corach Rambler in a handicap at the Cheltenham Festival, he was sent off a 20-1 chance against Gold…

Bravemansgame jumped superbly on the front end under Harry Cobden and when Galopin Des Champs loomed up on his outside on the turn for home it looked like a straight shootout. However, JJ Slevin was biding his time in the slipstream of the big two and it soon became clear Fastorslow was going to have a big say as he went ahead of Galopin Des Champs…

If there is one thing this week has proved it is that a bit of innovative thinking goes a long way when it comes to putting one over on Willie Mullins at Punchestown, and Martin Brassil masterminded an exquisite training feat to thwart Cheltenham hero Galopin Des Champs with his massively unexposed 20-1 shot Fastorslow in the Ladbrokes Punchestown…

There has been a sizeable shock at Punchestown this evening, with 20/1 shot Fastorslow upsetting the odds to take home the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup in dramatic fashion. Despite a very talented field in the race, few could look beyond Galopin Des Champs in the buildup to the showpiece event. The Willie Mullins trained horse had been unbeaten…

It was billed as a showdown between the Cheltenham Gold Cup one-two of the Willie Mullins-trained Galopin Des Champs (2-7) and Bravemansgame (10-3). However, JJ Slevin burst through between the two on Fastorslow in the final strides to secure victory. Envoi Allen (12-1) was also in mix at the last fence but came in fourth. It was Paul Nicholls'…

A field of six will line up for the highlight of the five-day Punchestown festival on Wednesday, the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup ( ) - and what a six it is with Cheltenham Gold Cup one-two Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame set to renew their rivalry. Here we provide the lowdown on every contender and provide a tip. . .

WE'VE five days of exceptional horse racing ahead with the Punchestown Festival this week! To mark such a special occasion, we at Sun Racing have worked tirelessly with the leading bookmakers in the industry to offer YOU much more bang for your buck with a top selection of free bets, sign up deals and big bonuses! Bravemansgame looks set to take…

The Paul Nicholls-trained eight-year-old is set to be declared with Bryan Drew as the sole owner following the sale of John Dance's 50% share. Dance founded Vertem Asset Management, a significant sponsor within racing, but that firm is one of three trading names of WealthTek LLP, which was ordered to cease trading by the Financial Conduct Authority…

2009 was the year that Willie Mullins first achieved a double-figure score at the five-day Punchestown Festival, a meeting at which Ruby Walsh achieved the scarcely lesser feat of riding ten winners. Their success was such that Chasers & Hurdlers declared that'Mullins and Walsh dominated the meeting in a manner seldom seen at a major Festival.'…

Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Bravemansgame had been barred from running at Aintree but has been declared among the six runner field for the Punchestown Gold Cup Bravemansgame (right): cleared to line up against Galopin Des Champs (left) at Punchestown Bravemansgame's Gold Cup rematch with Galopin Des Champs in Ireland on Wednesday can go ahead…

Paul Nicholls has announced dual King George VI Chase winner Clan Des Obeaux has been retired. The 11-year-old had not run this season, having last been seen chasing home Allaho in the Punchestown Gold Cup last April. Talking to Betfair, Nicholls hailed his five-time Grade 1 winner as a "wonderful horse" and mentioned his win at Punchestown in…

Willie Mullins has announced the retirement of multiple Grade One-winning chaser Kemboy. The 11-year-old burst onto the staying chase scene with a stunning victory in the 2018 Savills Chase at Leopardstown and while he came to grief shortly after the first fence in that season's Cheltenham Gold Cup, he subsequently blew his rivals away in the Bowl…

The multiple Grade One winner disappointed in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day day but was right back at his best at the Cheltenham Festival, defeating Nicky Henderson's Shishkin by two and three-quarter lengths. De Bromhead has drawn a line through the Kempton run and is now targeting the Cheveley Park-owned gelding at the…

Willie Mullins has announced the retirement of multiple Grade One-winning chaser Kemboy. The 11-year-old burst onto the staying chase scene with a stunning victory in the 2018 Savills Chase at Leopardstown and while he came to grief shortly after the first fence in that season's Cheltenham Gold Cup, he subsequently blew his rivals away in the Bowl…

Bryan Cooper had his first winners at the Cheltenham Festival in 2013 with Triumph Hurdle winner Our Conor being the pick of them. Trained by Dessie Hughes, Our Conor was unbeaten in four starts in his juvenile hurdle season with Cooper in the saddle each time. After winning a maiden at Navan and a Grade 3 at Fairyhouse on his first two starts, Our…

2023-03-19John Hanlon not taking any chances with Hewick after Cheltenham Festival fall The popular eight-year-old, who shot to prominence when taking the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown in April, was running a storming race in racing's blue riband and enjoying himself towards the head of the field under Jordan Gainford. In the process of belying his…

Two-time Ryanair Chase winner Allaho is off the critical list following an abdominal bleed, but his trainer, Willie Mullins, has ruled him out of next month's Cheltenham Festival. One of the highest rated chasers in training, on Saturday last the Cheveley Park Stud-owned nine-year-old suffered the bleed, the cause of which has yet been…

Punchestown is known as the home of Irish Jumps Racing, and the location serves as a host to the annual National Hunt Festival. The festival is held at the end of April, and besides being the culmination of the local hunt season, it also features a total of 12 Grade 1 racing events. All through the season that runs from mid-October to June,…

Legendary jockey Ruby Walsh has admitted he wouldn't have come out of retirement like Davy Russell. Less than a month after announcing he was hanging up his boots, 43-year-old Russell returns to the saddle at Fairyhouse on Saturday for trainer Gordon Elliott, who saw his main jockey, Jack Kennedy, break his leg in a fall last weekend. Paddy Power's…