Il Etait Temps again demonstrated his class when he won at the highest level for the eighth time by adding the William Hill Champion Chase at the Punchestown Festival to his Cheltenham two-mile crown.
Marine Nationale – who completed the same double 12 months ago – took the field together in the company of Majborough, with Paul Townend happy to drop the Willie Mullins-trained Il Etait Temps in the middle of the five runners.
Townend had given Il Etait Temps time to find his stride again after an earlier mistake and began to get lower in the saddle aboard the 8-11 favorite as they closed to three from home and jumped two out in front.
He then stretched out to leave Marine Nationale – who has had an interrupted campaign – in his wake, winning by five lengths as the veteran Energumene continued a distant but creditable third – after which he was promptly retired.
Mullins said of his winner: “He’s a hell of a horse and when you look at him he doesn’t exactly scream big chaser to you. He’s not a big horse but he’s strong.
“He has huge reserves as after making that mistake I thought ‘wow’ when he came up next to Marine Nationale in the third last. Marine Nationale is a fair horse to beat as he has a fair engine.
“To do what he did after falling at Ascot (the Clarence House Chase in January) and come back to win at Cheltenham was special when Paul was in top jockey mode.
“Majborough needs a longer ride, it might be better to slow down over a longer spike and pull yourself together.”
Retiring the 12-year-old Energumene, who has done the Punchestown-Cheltenham double twice in his illustrious career, he added: “He’s pulling up nice and sound and ran a cracker. He gave us all such a great day at Fairyhouse (at Easter) when he rolled back the years.
“It’s too sunny (earth-wise) for him today but he still put in a big fight. Winning his first Champion Chase at Cheltenham is a great memory. He had that speed and ability to jump and that marked him.”
Of Marine Nationale, meanwhile, trainer Barry Connell said: “I’m happy with the run but he hasn’t had the ball this year. He jumps fantastically well with those cheek pieces on and was perfect on the foot but I’d say he’s a little bit flat.
“Usually when he lands at the back in second last, speed is his strongest asset and he looked like he ran a bit flat. All credit to the winner and they pulled well clear of the rest of them.
“I don’t think his hold-up affected him and although I knew Everytotheirowns (winner of the Grade One Champion Novice Hurdle earlier in the day) was excellent, Marine Nationale did a great job at Fairyhouse three or four weeks ago, but his work since then has been OK.
“My own inclination is that he’s a bit flat, but take nothing away from the winner. There’s no doubt he’s a worthy winner on the day.
“This sets us up for a great campaign next season and hopefully we’ll have some luck with him.”
Western Fold wins for Grade One victory for Elliott and Kennedy
Western Fold gave Gordon Elliott’s Trainers’ Championship bid a boost when he came out on top on the run-in to the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown.
Brown Advisory hero Kitzbuhel came to the front in the Grade One affair but faded in the business end when July Flower picked it up as they headed for the final fence.
Western Fold jumped all the better to land in the lead, with Fleur In The Park and Nowwhatdoyouthink also in the mix as the quartet battled and Kitzbuhel was pulled up.
But in the end it was the 18-1 Elliott runner who was all the stronger in the hands of Jack Kennedy to land the €73,625 first prize by three and three-quarter lengths from Andrew Slattery’s Fleur In The Park.
Elliott said: “It’s great and although I was nervous for the three miles, the last two times we tried him over it we rode him too handy. We rode him cold today and it was a good performance. Some horses come to the end of their season around now but he’s been busier than most and is one of the top five this season.
“We initially thought of going for the American Grand National, a race Zanahiyr won for us last year, and although we have tried the Western Fold in open company in Ireland and failed, the American race is a Grade 1 so it is nothing to sneeze at.
“I’m not saying we won’t go to America, but there’s also the PWC Champion Chase at Gowran in October for him as well and maybe we could pot chase. The key with this horse is the ground and he’s a stone better on it.”
He added: “He will have a bit of a break now and although I would love to go back to the Galway Plate, he may be too high in the weights after today.”
Everytotheirrown ridden by Sean Flanagan on his way to winning the PRL Champion Novice Hurdle on day one at Punchestown
Each to their own jumps 16-1 surprise at Punchestown
Everytotheirown made every yard to win the Grade One PRL Champion Novice Hurdle on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival.
Sean Flanagan immediately sent the seven-year-old to the head of the field and the 16-1 shot never saw another rival as he galloped home four and a quarter lengths from the staying Blake.
The favorite El Cairos was the first to challenge two flights out but could not keep up with the Barry Connell prisoner and soon treaded water as Everytotheirown saw Blake and Le Labo off level with the Gordon Elliott-trained El Cairos just fourth.
The winner had beaten just one home in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, a race that saw Connell change tactics.
He explained: “He was ranked the last day so the obvious thing to do was to put him in front today and he got a freebie. He’s a good horse, he’s only had a handful of runs over hurdles but he’s a chaser and we’ve had to wait for him as he’s a big stamp of a horse.
“He was like a chaser who jumped over his hurdles today and has a fair engine.”
Paddy Power gave Everytotheirown a 40-1 quote for Arkle and Connell confirmed: “The Arkle Chase is at the forefront of my mind for him next season as he’s an out and out two-miler who doesn’t like to be held back. He’s been a slow burner and they didn’t go cantering in the Supreme on the last day and he came fresh to sea, and to be fresh to sea here, and to be fresh to here. horse.”
“Next season he will come back for a novice chase before the ground gets bottomless and then go to Leopardstown twice before Cheltenham.”
Kalix Delabarriere rode clear on the run for home to take the Listed Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle.
I’m Slippy jumped the final flight with a slender advantage over Kalix Delabarriere and Messerschmitt, but the Willie Mullins-trained Kalix Delabarriere (10-1) quickly put the race to bed on the run and pulled four lengths clear of I’m Slippy.
Mullins said: “It was great for Sean Cleary-Farrell and the owners to win a big handicap hurdle at the Fairyhouse Festival and come back to do it at Punchestown, in that sort of thing. We might have to move him up in class, although I think we’ll put him away now and get him back in the chase next season.”
“He disappointed me two years ago when I thought he would make a really good bumper horse but it has taken us another 18 months to get him right. He is by Galiway and he is probably not what the breeders had in mind for him but is a nice big type and has that kick at the end of his races.”
Martin Brasil’s Abbeyglen (11-2) was an impressive winner of the Goffs Defender Bumper, finishing five and a half lengths ahead of Mullins’ Altesse Du LuY to take home the €59,000 prize money.
Brassil said: “It was just great to get him here today and everything worked out. We looked after him as he is a big, long-legged horse and he lived up to what we hoped for. He shows a bit at home and we were happy to let him take the chance.
“He’s getting a break now as we want to let him mature a bit so he can withstand the rigors of jumping. He’s a very exciting horse with a nice pedigree.”
Meanwhile, Brassil had an update on stable star Fastorslow, adding of the would-be chaser: “He’s still on the easy list but hopefully we’ll see him in the autumn/winter. He’ll be back in training around the usual time, around July or August.”