Sumos’s stellar debut

There have been some outstanding performances from young horses in point-to-points over the past few weeks and, on Saturday at the Kildare Foxhounds meet at Punchestown, it was Liam Burke’s turn to introduce a potentially-decent prospect in Sumos Novios who posted a stellar debut performance in a vintage renewal of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The towering Sumos Novios (5/1) was left disputing the lead when Organization exited out of the race at the fourth fence and the eventual winner was tracked by Timesremembered with three obstacles remaining.

The well-supported favourite The Last Samuri was beaten in third when unseating at the second last and it was patently clear that Sumos Novios was travelling best for Colman Sweeney after this penultimate obstacle.