UPDATED 9:43AM, APR 29 2021
Just when the patient was beginning to flatline, British jump racing’s ECG monitor flickered back into life thanks to a dominant and determined front-running performance from Clan Des Obeaux in the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup.
At the end of a chastening campaign that has seen its protagonists humbled at both Cheltenham and Aintree, Paul Nicholls summoned the bulldog spirit for which he is renowned by pitching his dual King George VI Chase hero into the lion s den. Fortune favoured the brave, not least because in Sam Twiston-Davies he had an accomplice willing to embrace such a valiant policy.
UPDATED 2:40PM, APR 27 2021
An unraced four-year-old trained by Willie Mullins has slipped into the closing bumper (7.35) at Punchestown on Tuesday as a first reserve and been heavily backed.
It is yet to be confirmed who will take the ride on the Ballylinch Stud-owned
Glowing Account, who has tumbled into a general 2-1 shot (from 7) since his place in the race was finalised.
Glowing Account s stablemate Hara Kiri, who was favourite until this morning s market move, has Patrick Mullins aboard but will need to settle better than when finishing third at Gowran Park in January.
Elsewhere, the money is coming for Allaho before his clash with stablemate Chacun Pour Soi in today s William Hill Champion Chase (5.25) at Punchestown.
Updated / Tuesday, 27 Apr 2021
07:23
Ruby Walsh and Chacun Pour Soi
Ahead of the start of the Puncestown Festival, Ruby Walsh spoke on RTÉ s Game On, where he offered his thoughts on the Tuesday s and Wednesday s Grade One contests.
Tuesday 4.15 eCOMM Merchant Solutions Champion Novice Hurdle
With no Appreciate It, I d say Paul Townend has gone for Blue Lord because he finished second to Bob Olinger and was going to finish second to Appreciate It at Cheltenham when he fell at the last. They re the two outstanding novices.
He s gone for Blue Lord probably on that basis, but Echoes In Rain was incredibly impressive at Fairyhouse where Paul rode her but he still opts for Blue Lord.