Three things to look out for on day four of Punchestown
Flame Bearer has won his last three starts, a winning sequence that has earned him a shot at a Grade One. Picture: Healy Racing
If a week is a long time in politics, then a year can feel like an eternity in jump racing. Rumour has it that when Henry de Bromhead was heading home from Punchestown at the conclusion of his divine 2021 season that he parked his car on the east bank of Rice Bridge in Waterford and walked across the River Suir. Following this week’s glum performances of stable superstars such as Bob Olinger, Minella Indo, and Envoi Allen, he’d probably feels he’d sink directly to the bottom. Hopefully, his beloved Honeysuckle can ease the pain a little today.
It’s fortunate that Henry has kept her going this deep into the season because if he hadn’t our showpiece Champion Hurdle would be little more than a trappy Grade Three contested by decent horses all at least a stone behind Honeysuckle. All being well, Honeysuckle looks a cast-iron certainty and is 2-11 to beat five horses that she has already previously trounced. But as the old saying goes: If you have 11, then why would you need another two?
The only slight intrigue in the race is guessing who will come second to the brilliant mare in her lap of honour.
David Pipe’s Adagio is a welcome visitor but has 15 lengths to find on Champion Hurdle form. Teahupoo has promise but finished last at Cheltenham, six places behind the fourth-placed Saint Roi. Echoes In Rain and Darosso look out of their depth. The good news is that there is prize money down to sixth place today so nobody will go home empty-handed. The great news is that over 30,000 paying customers will get the chance to get close-up and personal with a horse for whom they’ll soon be casting bronze statues.
The seven-year-old gelding Flame Bearer has strong claims in the Champion Novice Hurdle and if he can upset the hot favourite State Man he would be a popular intruder into the Mullins/Elliott Grade One harvest this week.
Flame Bearer is trained and ridden by the father and son team of Pat and Jack Doyle both of whom have travelled on unconventional roads to be at Punchestown this afternoon.
Pat is primarily known as a master trainer of point-to-pointers and has recently passed such good horses as Appreciate It and Bob Olinger through his care. He doesn’t run many of his charges under rules and when he does it can be noteworthy. “The point-to-points are our bread and butter,” he says, “but it’s powerful to have a horse with a good chance in a Grade One at the Punchestown Festival, especially with Jack riding. We’re looking forward to it.”
Jack rode over 200 winners in Britain before heading to America to ply his trade and become the joint champion jump jockey three years ago. He came back home after a bad facial injury to assist his dad but wisely kept a valid riding licence and can avail of opportunities such as the one presented today.
Flame Bearer is a late-maturing horse but he is well and truly up and running now, having notched up a hat-trick when winning a Grade Two hurdle at Fairyhouse in early April. He is only rated four pounds behind State Man, the recent winner of the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and highly regarded by Willie Mullins. This cracking race also includes the very talented Kilcruit and Three Stripe Life (Mullins and Elliott) and few would be unhappy if the name ‘Doyle’ was to disrupt the dominant duopoly.
Excluding the two Grade One races, Ladies Friday at Punchestown is not overburdened with high-quality fare. There is a decent Grade two Mares' chase which should be won by Cheltenham victor Elimay, who will love this afternoon’s ground. Other than that, the card is disappointingly run of the mill for a high-profile festival although the Hunter Chase does carry the ‘Champion’ suffix and should be an interesting match between Billaway and the prolific winner, Vaucelet.
Billaway got up on the line to win the equivalent race at Cheltenham this year, going one better than the last two years. He had an incredibly hard race in victory, coming from way back under a very strong drive by Patrick Mullins to win a neck. The fresher Vaucelet could be excellent value to prevail.
But the Punchestown festival is a céilí, not a ballet and for living proof of this check out the entry conditions for the first race today, the Bishopscourt Cup. A restricted hunter chase, the purpose of this historic contest is to say a big, warm ‘thank you’ to farmers and landowners in the area for allowing a fox hunt to cross their land.
So, you can enter a horse if, and only if it is “the bona fide and unconditional property of farmers farming land in the Kildare Hunt District and in their possession since 1st January 2018. Sons and daughters of persons qualified to enter, working on their parents' farms and who have no other occupation, are eligible to enter horses, their bona fide property, in this race.”
Despite this stringency, a field of 11 has been mustered and one local farmer, who generously allows the Kildare Hunt to cross their property, will feel like they’ve won the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
