Triumphant return for Cousin Vinny
Winner of Grade 1 bumpers at the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals in 2008 and out of action since April 2010, the nine-year-old displayed plenty of his old sparkle to defeat Won in The Dark and Tofino Bay, despite fluffing the last hurdle.
Despite the mistake, the Ruby Walsh-ridden Cousin Vinny forged clear to triumph by three and a quarter lengths, to the delight of his trainer Willie Mullins.
“He showed his class when they straightened up, a change of pace. Before he was injured, we were running him over longer trips. But this proves that he has retained his speed,’’ Mullins said.
The champion trainer intends finding some similar conditions events for Cousin Vinny in preparation for a return to Punchestown for the Festival in April.
Mullins and Walsh were expected to follow-up with 2/1 favourite Maggie Connolly in the Festival Any Day Flexi-Ticket. But, having edged past Little Green approaching the final flight, Walsh’s mount had no answer to the powerful late surge of The Bishop Looney, ridden by Tom Doyle, which swept past to score by a length and a half.
Both the winning rider and trainer Tom Nagle confirmed the winner’s need for soft or heavy ground. And Nagle nominated the Leinster National at Naas as a possible target.
In the frame in his three completed starts over hurdles, the Conor O’Dwyer-trained Competitive Edge came good under Mark Walsh in the Festival Party Pack Maiden Hurdle.
Backed down to 6/5 favouritism, Competitive Edge got the better of market-rival Double Double by two lengths, prompting O’Dwyer to comment: “I’m delighted with that. He was disappointing the last day in Leopardstown. He didn’t travel that day, which isn’t like him. But he was a different proposition today.”
Nina Carberry completed a double in the two bumpers, scoring on the Noel Meade-trained Angle Blanc and Gordon Elliott’s respectively.
Noel Meade saddled French-bred Ange Blanc, in his own colours, to win the four-year-old event, getting the better of Kauto Star’s half-brother Kauto Grand Mogol and Director’s Forum.
Meade said: “He’s out of a half-sister to Harchibald and I rate him a very nice prospect. I won’t overdo it with him.”
Winning point-to-pointer In The Banyanis completed Carberry’s double when bolting-up in the Goffs Punchestown Invitational Sale Flat Race, stretching clear in the closing stages to beat Paradise Lily by seven lengths.
Elliott said: “He’s a grand horse and wants a trip. He’ll be much better over two and a half or three miles. He’ll win a few races over hurdles. And he’s for sale.”
Charlie’s Vic, trained in County Derry by Noel Kelly and ridden by 7lb claimer Derek Fox, came from well off the pace to prove an emphatic winner of the Punchestown.,com For Festival Offers Mares Maiden Hurdle, slamming Tango Moll by 21 lengths.
“She settled much better today and jumped like a bird,” said Kelly.
Martin Ferris deputised successfully for the absent Mick Darcy when landing the Hen Party Heaven At The Festival Handicap Hurdle on 25/1 shot Vodkis O’Blue, a second winner in a week for trainer Andy Slattery.
