More Grade One glory for Danny Mullins and Il Etait Temps

Fourteen-year-old Singing Banjo upset the odds in the Mongey Communications La Touche Cup Cross-Country Chase

Thu, 02 May, 2024 - 20:26

Tommy Lyons, Punchestown

Danny Mullins has had the season of all seasons, and it was fitting that he was back amongst the winners on this final week. The Spring Juvenile Hurdle, Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Novice Hurdle, the Irish Arkle, the Paddy Power Chase, the Bet365 Gold Cup, the Scottish National, and the Manifesto Novice Chase have all come his way this season, and Il Etait Temps, who provided two of those top-level success, completed the hat-trick when taking the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase.

Stablemate Gaelic Warrior was sent off the 1-3 favourite and he held every chance, but Mullins brought his mount wide to challenge two out, and he found most in the closing stages to reverse previous form with the odds-on favourite.

“Fantastic performance, he’s all heart,” said the winning rider. “He missed the third-last, which wasn’t the jump I wanted at that point, but he came back on the bridle, and all the way down the straight I felt I had Paul’s measure. He’s been so consistent all year and to go and beat Gaelic Warrior, that’s his best performance yet.

“Good ground, soft ground, two miles, two and a half — he’s there battling for you every time. It’s not often you have one that can come and deliver Grade Ones to you every year, and this lad’s been very good to me.”

Reflecting on his own success, he added: “It’s been an unbelievable season. I’ve been riding good horses. I’m lucky enough, at all these festivals in the big races, I’m there riding horses with live chances and, thankfully, we’ve been converting them into winners, and long may it last.”

Willie Mullins, for whom it was a record-setting 35th Grade One of the season, said: “He's an extraordinary horse. That's his third Grade One win this season, ridden by Danny in all of them. He's maturing and learning all the time, getting a lot easier to ride.

"I'm delighted for the winning connections but am sorry for Paul, who needs winners to catch up with Jack Kennedy. That's just not happening at the moment but hopefully he'll have a better day tomorrow.

"I think Gaelic Warrior probably didn't like the ground. He's probably more of a winter horse and wouldn't have wanted it to dry up."

Of his own record, he added: "As I keep going back to, we have an incredible team of owners and staff. The horses come if you have both of those."

A frustrating day for Paul Townend was capped by a luckless effort aboard Spindleberry in the listed Close Brothers Mares’ Novice Hurdle. Victory went to the heavily backed Casa No Mento, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and ridden by his son, Sam.

Pigeon House, who finished runner-up in five of his first nine races over hurdles, shed his maiden status at the 10th time of asking despite being pitched into a 25-runner handicap. Nico De Boinville, riding for Jessica Harrington, lost his whip after the final flight but his mount gave generously under hands and heels riding and edged out Killeemore Lad by half a length.

There was an exciting finish to the listed Frontline Security Handicap Chase in which Pinkerton, ridden by Sam Ewing for Noel Meade, touched off Saint Roi. The runner-up made a bad mistake two out and the eventual winner wandered around going to the final fence but, in a desperate dash to the line, Pinkertown dipped at the right time to land the spoils.

Fourteen-year-old Singing Banjo upsetting the odds in the Mongey Communications La Touche Cup Cross-Country Chase was as Punchestown as Punchestown gets. Trained and ridden by Barry John Walsh, it was his second win in the race, three years after his first, and his liking for the unique demands of the course meant he was able to account for Three By Two and Coko Beach, who is rated 159 over regulation fences.

“He really comes alive over these cross-country jumps,” said Walsh, for whom he was a first winner as a trainer. “We aim for the banks the whole time with him. The ground was just against us all season. He won on firm here the Ladies’ Cup and the La Touche the one year, and I was delighted to see it dried a bit here yesterday, and there wasn’t too much rain last night. We’d be hoping, anyway. He’s lightly raced, so we’ll see how he comes out of this. He’s declared for Saturday, but we’ll see tomorrow how he comes out of it.”