Carberry claims Punchestown opener

Nina Carberry and Katie Walsh fought out a stirring finish to the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham and the pair repeated the dose at Punchestown as the former landed the Kildare Hunt Club Fr Sean Breen Memorial Chase aboard Zest For Life.

Walsh got the better of her rival and close friend in the Cotswolds, but Carberry exacted her revenge as Zest For Life edged out Wedger Pardy in the opening event of the 2010 Punchestown Festival.

The pair were in the front rank throughout, but Wedger Pardy found the 10lb weight concession beyond him and last year’s winner lost out to the Enda Bolger-trained 9-2 chance.

Bolger said: “We set out to make this horse a cross-country horse but every time we brought him here he would get loose or do something silly. That was until Miss Carberry came to the fore.

“He loved the ground and he may turn out again on Saturday in the Irish Field Chase.”