#Punchestown Gold Cup

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…

Tommy Lyons ranks the country's greatest horsemen from the past 50 years. A star from the outset, Walsh served notice of what was to come by winning the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham aboard Alexander Banquet, and winning the Aintree Grand National at the first attempt. He showed his outstanding natural ability and adaptability by being able to ride…

Al Boum Photo: new Punchestown Gold Cup favourite following defection of Minella Indo Your guide to Wednesday's Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup (5.55), the feature race on day two at the Punchestown festival. The field was on Monday reduced to six following the withdrawal of hot favourite Minella Indo.

By Andrew Asquith, Friday 06 January 2023 Posted in: Cheltenham Festival Tips Andrew Asquith looks ahead to the 2023 Ryanair Chase and picks out his best ante-post bet. Willie Mullins has won five of the last seven renewals of the Ryanair Chase and Allaho has won the last two renewals, so there is only really one place to start. He hasn't been seen…

Gordon Elliott smashed the bookies with a massive priced four timer - Party Central (9/4), Mighty Potter (20/1), Felix Desjy (11/1) and Absolute Notions (25/1) all going in on the opening day for the Cullentra trainer. Energumene was one of the few Cheltenham Festival winners to stand up the form when he fended off Chacun Pour Soi in the Champion…

Clan Des Obeaux will face eight rivals as he goes for back-to-back victories in the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup, the highlight on day two of the Festival meeting. Paul Nicholls' charge kept on strongly to outgun Al Boum Photo in the hands of Sam Twiston-Davies 12 months ago, but it is Harry Cobden who rides the 10-year-old time around. Having…

Desert Orchid: scooping the Tingle Creek Chase Ahead of the Unibet Grey Horse Handicap (2.45) at Newmarket on Saturday, we take a look at five of the greatest greys to grace the track. . . Desert Orchid One who needs no introduction. Desert Orchid is a hero among jumps fans for his incredible versatility, success and front-running style that led…

Dual Ryanair Chase winner Allaho is one of 27 horses entered for the 2023 Ryanair Chase, which will be run on day three of the Cheltenham Festival on March 16, and the aforementioned Willie Mullins-trained raider will be a hot favourite for the 2m 5f contest. We take a look at the entries here and have all the latest odds for what should be a…

Mortlach is 4-10 over fences but much more exposed than most of these and appears to have had limitations exposed lately. Beauport looked a smart recruit when beating experienced opposition at Carlisle but then failed to land the odds at Haydock. Thunder Rock is 2-2 over fences, however, but is elevated from handicap company along with Harper's…

We are deep inside the final furlong of 2022. I'm hoping plenty of you will be powering to the finishing post hard on the bridle, rather than wearily struggling to the line or having pulled up sometime during the summer heatwave. That was then, this is now. We go again in 2023, and what a momentous year it promises to be. Here are ten reasons why…

Paul Nicholls: champion trainer for the 13th time at the weekend Paul Nicholls, the titan of jumps racing who sealed his 13th training title at the weekend, is set to have an interest on the Flat this summer via a Charlie Hills-trained juvenile called Paddy's Day. The Somerset-based Nicholls was in rampant form at Sandown on Saturday, ending a fine…

Bravemansgame (left) and Hitman: in the running for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase Sam Twiston-Davies is pinning his hopes of another King George VI Chase (2.30) on the fantastic jumping of Hitman, the horse he rides in the Ladbrokes-sponsored event at Kempton on Monday. Twiston-Davies won the prestigious Grade 1 in 2019 when he rode Clan Des…

The Grade One-winning hurdler was brilliant in winning three times over fences last season and would have been four from four had he not crashed out at the final fence in the Turners' Novices' Chase at the Festival in March. He is a best priced 11/4 to provide trainer Willie Mullins with a third Gold Cup success following the back-to-back wins of…

THEY say 60 is the new 40, and champion trainer Paul Nicholls is still as pumped up as ever for the new season. Somerset-based Nicholls celebrated the landmark birthday with a big bash earlier this year. And he was also able to toast a 14th trainer's crown after fending off the challenge of long-time rival Nicky Henderson. He has a promising squad…

WILLIE MULLINS will be Galopin down the road to more big-race glory. The Closutton maestro may be knocking on a bit at 66 - but he has no plans to hand over the reigns to his son Patrick just yet. And his team of Galacticos will take some stopping. Such is his squad strength only a couple of star strikers from Britain would even make it into a…

ONE of the biggest days of the year is finally here. Yeah, yeah Christmas Day was OK - but it's really all about the amazing racing on Boxing Day. Sun Racing brings you all need to know for a massive few hours of action, all shown live on Sky Sports Racing, Racing TV and ITV. And don't forget to see our free bets page too. This is a list of all the…

We're on the road to the Cheltenham Festival with the leading lights of the National Hunt game coming out to play. A number of clues for all four championship races - the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle and Gold Cup - are set to be dropped over the coming months. The Cheltenham Festival 2023 takes place between Tuesday,…

1. Colreevy - Mr P Mullins - W Mullins 7/4 2. Black Tears - Ms L O'Neill - G Elliott 9/1 3. Tintangle - Ms N Carberry - G Elliott 11/4 That's Paul Townend's third win of the day and another one in the bag for Willie Mullins as Patrick's Park comes home. Tornado Flyer wins Racing Post Champion I.N.H. We're underway in the Racing Post Champion I.N.H.…

Further intrigue has been added to an already sublime Punchestown clash between Monkfish and Envoi Allen as Cheltenham heroine Colreevy has been confirmed for the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase - a race that looks set to be her final start. Willie Mullins will attempt to plunder a third top-level win with Colreevy before her…

Former winners Al Boum Photo and Minella Indo with Gold Cup victor A Plus Tard (left) Robbie Power does not think any horse in training could have beaten A Plus Tard in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup this month and admitted he thought it was going to take something special to catch him on Minella Indo when he quickened clear off the final…

It's not news, but it's still worthwhile noting the Willie Mullins Punchestown thing, because the degree to which the champion trainer dominates the Punchestown Festival these days is unprecedented. Think Dermot Weld in his pomp at Galway, think Martin Pipe at Cheltenham's November meeting and multiply it by something large enough. Willie Mullins…

The bookies could be running for cover on St Stephen's Day if everything goes to plan for Willie Mullins. The 15-time champion trainer has been a thorn in the side of betting firms on countless occasions over the years and they'll be hoping that some of his short-priced runners are beaten on Sunday. Mullins comes into the festive period in…

Very few people have as much experience of the Punchestown Festival as Nina Carberry. The former Irish Grand National winner has been immersed in National Hunt Racing all her life, as the daughter of legendary jockey and trainer Tommy Carberry, before becoming a jockey herself, riding an incredible 22 winners at the Punchestown Festival down the…

The Punchestown Festival is upon with thousands of punters set to flock to the Kildare track this week. Bookies are anticipating a betting bonanza with many expected to splash their cash on Willie Mullins' runners as he tries to retain the Irish trainers' title again. The champion trainer will be saddling many short-priced favourites but we have…

Al Boum Photo will attempt to become the fourth horse to complete the Cheltenham and Punchestown Gold Cup double when he faces seven rivals in Wednesday's showpiece contest, hopefully following in the footsteps of Kicking King (2005), War Of Attrition (2006), and Sizing John (2017). The seven-year-old ended trainer Willie Mullins' long quest for a…

The Punchestown Festival rolls on after a dramatic opening day. There was carnage in the Growise Champion Novice Chase with Monalee crashing out at the second last before Al Boum Photo and Finan's Oscar went wide of the last in the most circumstances. It had a big impact on the trainers' championship with Gordon Elliott saddling a 1-2-3-5 and…

This is a glorious collection of the best chasers in Ireland. Seven of the ten runners are rated 161 or higher and perhaps what best sums up the quality of the fare is Grand National hero Minella Times is the outsider of the lot. It is absolutely delicious. Willie Mullins has won six of the last eight runnings, including the last three with the…

Rachael Blackmore is being backed to land another Grade 1 on board Minella Indo in the Ladbrokes King George on St Stephen's Day. The Gold Cup winner is now the favourite for the three-mile contest at Kempton with the race sponsors at 5/2 ahead of Clan Des Obeaux, who is seeking his third victory in the race, at 11/4. The firm also report that…

Punchestown Festival begins on Tuesday and there's some excellent horse racing action throughout five days of racing, with the Punchestown Gold Cup on Wednesday the standout event. New customers who sign up to BoyleSports can get a £20 free bet to use after betting £10 on the action at Punchestown, when claiming the offer below. BoyleSports also…

We bring you day two of the Punchestown Festival as Allaho waltzes away with the Grade 1 Punchestown Gold Cup (5.55). In a cracker of a race which pits all-conquering Cheltenham Festival winner Allaho thumped Clan Des Obeaux and Al Boum Photo by at least eight lengths leading all the way. This followed Willie Mullins also winning the staying novice…

Chacun Pour Soi lit up day one of the Punchestown festival. The Punchestown Gold Cup is the highlight of day two. The late defection of Minella Indo has slightly taken the gloss of the race. It's still a fascinating, and well contested, heat. The supporting card looks well up to scratch. 3.40 pm Adare Manor Handicap Hurdle Mt Leinster Gold brought…

Frodon: an impressive winner at Down Royal last year Owner Paul Vogt is looking forward to sending Frodon into the lion's den to take on Ireland's finest at this weekend's Dublin Racing Festival. The ten-year-old is on course for the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup (3.15) on Saturday but will not be joined at Leopardstown by stablemate Clan Des Obeaux,…

Paul Nicholls might have turned 60 this year but his hunger for success remains as strong as ever as he bids to defend his Jump Trainers' Championship and claim a 14th title. The Ditcheat handler is confident he has another "great team" on his hands for his 32nd season as a licence holder and is excited to unleash an intriguing mix of established…

With the flat season concluding at Ascot's prestigious British Champions Day back in October, the National Hunt Racing season has once again taken centre stage and it was fantastic to finally see racegoers back at a jumps event when they turned out in their thousands for the Cheltenham November Meeting - the season's traditional curtain…

Six years ago this month one of the most successful partnerships in Irish jumps racing was abruptly ended when owners Gigginstown House Stud and Willie Mullins parted company after the trainer increased his training fees from the autumn of 2016. 'I put my fees up for the first time in ten years and Gigginstown chose not pay them' Mullins said at…