Punchestown Day 2 round-up: Occasion to savour for Josh Halford

DAY TO REMEMBER: With Nolimit and Josh Halford won the Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion I.N.H. Flat Race (Grade 1). Pic: Healy Racing Photo.

Day two of the Punchestown festival was an occasion to savour for Josh Halford as the 20-year-old, an 11th hour call-up to replace the injured Barry O’Neill, grabbed a first Grade One success when With NoLimit got the better of Champion Bumper hero The Mourne Rambler in the Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion I.N.H. Flat Race.

“That was absolutely unbelievable, there’s nothing like it,” an elated Halford said. “I can’t believe it, it hasn’t sunk in, I’m just delighted.”

A son of Group 1-winning trainer Mick, Josh was quick to pay tribute to both him and With NoLimit handler Gordon Elliott.

“Gordon’s backed me from the very start and I can’t thank him enough. Dad helped me get going, I rode four winners for him before he packed up training.”

The one frustration for the jockey was that neither parent was present at Punchestown to see it in the flesh.

“I’m absolutely gutted because if Mam is not there Dad is there, they’re always at the races and it was a shame it worked out the way it did but I’m sure they were roaring. I’ll be watching it back a lot. I just get such a thrill out of racing, it’s what I always wanted to do.”

Halford’s interest in becoming a jumps jockey was sparked by watching a documentary on dual Grand National hero Tiger Roll so it was fitting that this win came on board a horse sporting the same maroon and white silks of Gigginstown House Stud.

“I remember watching the documentary on Tiger Roll and I had my mind made up that that was what I wanted to do. I can’t believe it, it’s unreal,” Halford said.

The first Grade One of the day, the Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle, went for export as the Harry Derham-trained Le Frimeur kept up the gallop to deny Zanoosh a six-timer.

On the back of a first Grade One success at Fairyhouse last time out, Zanoosh was sent off the 11-4 favourite to follow-up but while the Colm Murphy-trained mare ran her heart out, she ultimately had no answer for the English raider, who defied odds of 18-1 to win by six and a half lengths in the hands of JJ Slevin.

The winning jockey said: “It was a very good performance. He’s improving all year and that was very impressive.

“He got in a good rhythm, although he hung left but, other than that, it was very straightforward. He had loads left but I was just struggling to ride him, he was lugging on me and I was trying to do the best I could but he didn't make it easy for me. But he's value for his [winning] distance.

Paying tribute to Derham, for whom this was a first Grade One success, Slevin added: “Fair play to Harry, he's only going one way, and that's up.” Jessica Harrington made it two wins in two days when the Donagh Meyler-ridden Quinta Do Lago fended off Begorra Man by a length and three-quarters in the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle.

“He won his maiden here before he went to Cheltenham and finished fifth in the Fred Winter and I’d say he’s only really coming to himself now,” Harrington, who struck with Powerful on Tuesday, said. “But what he really appreciated today was the step up in trip. He’s always been a good, strong stayer.”

Henry de Bromhead got off the mark for the week when Nouvotic ran out an emphatic winner of the Grade Three Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase, the 7-1 shot scoring in the hands of Darragh O’Keeffe.

The other Grade Three on the card, the Weatherbys General Stud Book Irish EBF Mares INH Flat Race, produced an even more dominant winner as the Jody Townend-ridden Even Tho pulled 16 lengths clear of her rivals at odds of 7-2.

Jacovec Cavern bolted up in the opening race of the day, the Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle.

The Paul Hennessy-trained seven-year-old came here without a win in 18 previous runs over hurdles but the 33-1 shot was a class apart here, beating Aguellid by 11 lengths in the hands of Richie Condon.

Local trainer Ross O’Sullivan saddled the first and second in the Connolly's RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series Final, 5-1 shot Raise You Up, ridden by Danny Gilligan, getting the better of stablemate De Jour En Jour by four lengths with Vitorio Piel, sent off the 2-1 favourite, back in third.