Punchestown win for The Passing Wife bolsters Festival ambitions

Gavin Cromwell will 'aim him at either the Martin Pipe or the Coral Cup' at Cheltenham, he said after the victory. 

The Passing Wife won the Matchbook 50:50 Graduation Series (C & G) Maiden Hurdle for the Cant Say No Syndicate. Pic: Healy Racing Photo.

The Gavin Cromwell-trained, 136-rated The Passing Wife, dropping from Grade 1 company, turned over hot-pot Doctor Du Mesnil in the Matchbook Series Graduation Maiden Hurdle in Punchestown.

Confidently handled by Keith Donoghue, the 2/1 shot tracked the 2/5 favourite throughout before cruising alongside on the approach to the final flight before asserting and coasting clear on the run-in to score by nine lengths.