Horse Racing: Milenium floors Kelly at Punchestown

Davenport Milenium captured his second big prize at the Punchestown Festival this week when running out a smooth winner of the Emo Oil Champion Hurdle today.

The 11-2 shot, ridden by Ruby Walsh, swept to victory by four lengths from Just Our Job (33-1) with the 4-7 favourite Ned Kelly a disappointing third.

Davenport Milenium, trained by Willie Mullins, had claimed the scalp of Like-A-Butterfly in the Menolly Homes Champion Novice Hurdle over two and a half miles on Wednesday and the six-year-old showed that was no fluke with another impressive win.

He is now an 8-1 chance (from 20-1) with Coral for next season’s Smurfit Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Ansar set a sensible pace in the two-mile contest until Walsh sent Davenport Milenium on between the last two flights. Ned Kelly’s challenge was short-lived and he lost second place on the run-in.

The sole British-raider Landing Light, trained by Nicky Henderson, finished last of the six runners.

An impressed Walsh told Channel 4 Racing: ‘‘He was first class. There was a nice gallop early on but they steadied up down the back which gave me chance to get a breather into him, but he came alight.

‘‘Willie always thought he had plenty of speed and he was right.’’