); Mullins had his 15th championship in the bag before Punchestown but it didn’t stop him dominating
Donn McClean takes a look back at the 2021 Punchestown Festival and Willie Mullins’ 19-winner haul. By Donn McClean Tuesday 4 May 2021, 7:00 AM 3 hours ago 1,575 Views 1 Comment
GOING INTO THE Punchestown Festival in 2018, one week to go in the 2017/18 Irish National Hunt season, and Willie Mullins trailed Gordon Elliott by over €500,000 in the trainers’ championship.
You knew that Willie Mullins would be strong at Punchestown but, even so, it was a fair gap, and the bookmakers made Gordon Elliott favourite to claim his first title.
Forecast odds: 7-1
Should star mare Honeysuckle be off her A-game the high-class Sharjah could pick up the pieces at what is a slightly insulting price given his ability.
Sharjah: top-class performer should outrun his odds once again
Patrick McCann
The eight-year-old is a three-time Matheson Hurdle winner, Galway Hurdle hero and has finished second in the Champion Hurdle for the past two years, but has strong course-and-distance form too having beaten Faugheen comprehensively in the 2018 Morgiana Hurdle.
Despite finishing ahead of Epatante and Goshen at Cheltenham last month, they are preferred toSharjah inthe betting despite having more questions to answer. Should the race fall apart, the fast-finisher could use his trademark turn of foot to give Willie Mullins a record-extending ninth win.
Punchestown Saturday preview: Donn McClean tips
By Donn McClean
Punchestown Friday best bets:
5.05 Drop The Anchor
The Willie Mullins thread that usually runs through Punchestown week is running as deeply as ever this year so far, and it could go even deeper today, on the final day of the week, the final day of the Irish National Hunt season.
In Concertista, Stormy Ireland and Burning Victory, the champion trainer fields the first three favourites for the Coolmore Kew Gardens Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle, with My Sister Sarah in there as back-up, while in the other Grade 1 race on the day, the Ballymore Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle, Haut En Couleurs is vying for favouritism with Triumph Hurdle hero Quilixios. The record of 18 that was posted at the 2018 Festival is in danger.
Dream return for Klassical with Stayers success and Energumene impresses with easy Ryanair triumph
Grade One glory for Mullins’ runner after lengthy absence. By Press Association Thursday 29 Apr 2021, 7:09 PM Apr 29th 2021, 6:01 PM 2,017 Views 2 Comments
Updated Apr 29th 2021, 7:09 PM
ENERGUMENE PROVIDED WILLIE Mullins with yet another Grade One winner at the Punchestown Festival when making all the running in the Ryanair Novice Chase. Paul Townend on Energumene clears the last and comes home to win. Source: Caroline Norris/INPHO
Having added to his tally in the top-level events when Klassical Dream defied a lengthy absence in the Stayers Hurdle, this success looked likely a long way from home.
Donn McClean: Expect fireworks as Townend and Blackmore do battle for jockey s title
There will be intriguing clashes all week at Punchestown between the pair of leading jockeys, and their amateur equivalents, beginning tomorrow. By Donn McClean Monday 26 Apr 2021, 4:48 PM 45 minutes ago 2,284 Views 2 Comments
Paul Townend on Concertista (green) jumping the last to beat Rachael Blackmore on Minella Melody at Fairyhouse in November.
Image: Peter Mooney/INPHO
Paul Townend on Concertista (green) jumping the last to beat Rachael Blackmore on Minella Melody at Fairyhouse in November.
Image: Peter Mooney/INPHO
EGALITY MANS WAS in front and travelling well in the Grade 2 Colm Quinn BMW Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse three weeks ago when he came down at the third last flight. It looked like an awkward fall. Power Of Pause was tracki