Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup
Grade 1, Punchestown 17:55
 €275,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus,
3m 1f, Class 1      
Wednesday 27th April 2022

QuinnBet

1 Allaho 6/5F
2 Clan Des Obeaux 11/2
3 Al Boum Photo 20/1
9 ran Distances: 14l, 1½l, nk
Time: 6m 27.70s (slow by 33.70s)

Dual Ryanair Chase winner Allaho had not run over three miles since meeting with defeat in the Savills Chase of 2020 – and in the interim he has well and truly shown himself to be the best chaser in training over two and a half miles.

Willie Mullins even dropped him in distance to two miles at this meeting last year, but following on from another dominant performance at Cheltenham the champion trainer was confident enough to go up in trip.

Paul Townend rode him as if there was absolutely no doubt about his stamina and so it proved.

Last year’s winner Clan Des Obeaux and Harry Cobden were determined not to allow Allaho an easy lead and raced with him for the first two miles, but from a long way out Townend began to wind up the pace.

It proved too much for Minella Indo who was pulled up a long way from home, while Galvin was another well-fancied runner who never got on terms.

Al Boum Photo and Kemboy, stablemates of the winner, both travelled well for a long way but from three out were chasing in vain.

Townend was still on the bridle as he popped over the second-last when Clan Des Obeaux looked tired and a mistake from Kemboy cost him any chance.

Allaho got in tight to the last – his only slight mistake – but the 6-5 favourite had 14 lengths in hand over Clan Des Obeaux, who deserved plenty of credit for attempting to make a race of it. Al Boum Photo was third, with Kemboy fourth.

Allaho is 8-1 from 20s for the Cheltenham Gold Cup with QuinnBet – a race won this year by A Plus Tard, also owned by Cheveley Park Stud.

Mullins said: “Paul didn’t take any prisoners there, he told me he was going to jump out and he said to me ‘he’ll stay won’t he?’, to which I replied ‘of course he will!’.

“So that was his plan, Al Boum wanted to jump out too and so did Kemboy, but Paul said he wanted to jump out over the first two and see who would be with him and ride a race from there. As it turns out only Clan Des Obeaux was able to stay with him.

“Bryan Cooper rode Al Boum Photo and said he’d never ridden in a faster Gold Cup in his life, it was end-to-end and good to see.

“He just got beaten as a novice at Cheltenham over three miles when he was up in front taking something on, but he’s a lot more mature now.

“I don’t know about the King George, I’ll talk to Richard Thompson (of Cheveley Park), but that opens up a lot more options for him now. You could probably say King George the way he jumps.

“He’s some engine and I just hoped he could do what he did there today. I was a bit worried he could only do that over two and a half, but now he can do it over three and he’ll be more mature next year. He’s only eight.

“We’ve Galopin Des Champs as well (for the Gold Cup) but we know from experience, hopefully they’ll be there next spring. In the jumps game horses don’t always come round the following season, hopefully these two do. We’ve Capodanno after yesterday as well.

“I don’t know about three and a quarter (miles) for Allaho, but I do think he’s better going left-handed. That extra quarter-mile is tough when you know what he can do over two and a half.”

Punchestown Gold Cup
€275,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 3m 1f, Class 1
9 ran
Going: Good to Yielding, Yielding in places

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1     Allaho 8 11-10 W P Mullins Paul Townend 6/5F
2 14 Clan Des Obeaux 10 11-10 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 11/2
3 1½ Al Boum Photo 10 11-10 W P Mullins B J Cooper 20/1
4 nk Kemboy 10 11-10 W P Mullins Sean O'Keeffe 40/1
5 5 Fakir D'Oudairies 7 11-10 Joseph O'Brien Mark Walsh 7/1
6 3 Galvin 8 11-10 Gordon Elliott Davy Russell 5/1
7 2¼ Tornado Flyer 9 11-10 W P Mullins Danny Mullins 20/1
PU Janidil 8 11-10 W P Mullins Jody McGarvey 25/1
PU Minella Indo 9 11-10 Henry De Bromhead Robbie Power 9/1

Free Racing Tips

Year Horse Age/Wt Owner Trainer Jockey SP

2021 Clan Des Obeaux 9 11-12 Mr & Mrs P K Barber, G Mason & Sir A Ferguson Paul Nicholls Sam Twiston-Davies 100/30
2020 Abandoned - Covid-19
2019 Kemboy 7-11-10 Kemboy/Brett Graham/Ken Sharp Syndicate Willie Mullins R Walsh 13/8F
2018 Bellshill 8-11-10 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins DJ Mullins 4/1
2017 Sizing John 7-11-10 Ann & Alan Potts Limited Mrs J Harrington R M Power 9/10F
2016 Carlingford Lough 10-11-10 J P McManus John Kiely Barry Geraghty 12/1
2015 Don Cossack 8-11-10 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Paul Carberry 5/2
2014 Boston Bob 9-11-10 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 5/2 Fav
2013 Sir Des Champs 7-11-10 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins Davy Russell 2/1 Fav
2012 China Rock 9-11-10 Michael O’Flynn Mouse Morris Barry Geraghty 20/1
2011 Follow The Plan 8-11-10 Redgap Partnership Oliver McKiernan Tom Doyle 20/1
2010 Planet Of Sound 8-11-10 Charles Lloyd-Baker Philip Hobbs GB Richard Johnson 14/1
2009 Notre Pere 8-11-10 Tilly Conway Jim Dreaper Andrew Lynch 15/8 Fav
2008 Neptune Collonges 7-11-10 John Hales Paul Nicholls GB Ruby Walsh 9/10 Fav
2007 Neptune Collonges 6-11-12 John Hales Paul Nicholls GB Ruby Walsh 8/1
2006 War Of Attrition 7-11-12 Gigginstown House Stud Mouse Morris Conor O’Dwyer 4/5 Fav
2005 Kicking King 7-11-12 Conor Clarkson Tom Taaffe Barry Geraghty 8/11 Fav
2004 Beef Or Salmon 8-11-12 Joe Craig Michael Hourigan Timmy Murphy 5/4 Fav
2003 First Gold 10-12-00 J P McManus Francois Doumen FR Thierry Doumen 7/4 Fav
2002 Florida Pearl 10-12-00 Violet O’Leary Willie Mullins Barry Geraghty 13/8 Fav
*2001 Moscow Express 9-12-00 John Corr Frances Crowley Barry Geraghty 8/11 Fav
2000 Commanche Court 7-11-09 Dermot Desmond Ted Walsh Ruby Walsh 100/30
1999 Imperial Call 10-11-09 Lisselan Farms Ltd Raymond Hurley Ruby Walsh 8/1
1998 Mahler 8-10-12 English Badminton P’ship Nigel Twiston-Davies GB Carl Llewellyn 5/1
1997 Noyan 7-11-01 C H McGhie Richard Fahey GB Norman Williamson 13/2
1996 Billygoat Gruff 7-11-03 Peter Cooper David Nicholson GB Richard Johnson 7/1
1995 Butches Boy 6-10-07 Bridget Kennedy Pat Fahy Francis Woods 14/1
1994 Merry Gale 6-12-00 Herb M Stanley Jim Dreaper Kevin O’Brien 5/2
1993 Fissure Seal 7-11-01 Delton Syndicate Harry de Bromhead Graham Bradley 7/1
1992 Second Schedual 7-11-00 Hugh McMahon Arthur Moore Richard Dunwoody 12/1
1991 Local Whisper 7-10-07 Mrs Chris Harrington Arthur Bunyan Tommy Carmody 9/4 Fav
1990 Mixed Blends 8-11-00 J Spearman Mouse Morris Charlie Swan 7/4
1989 Super Furrow 9-11-09 Mrs M Marshall Jerry O’Neill Padge Gill 8/1
1988 Doubtful Venture 12-10-07 E Morrissey Paddy Mullins Conor O’Dwyer 12/1
1987 Bankers Benefit 7-10-13 Brigadier B Fowler John Fowler Anthony Powell 6/4 Fav
1986 Daltmore 8-10-01 N Coburn Paddy Mullins Tony Mullins 20/1
1985 Larry’s Latest 8-10-01 Miss A Collen Miss A Collen M Cummins 14/1
1984 Lantern Lodge 7-9-09 Mrs M Farrell Paddy Mullins Tony Mullins 7/2 Fav
1983 Pearlstone 7-10-08 William W Brainard Jnr Paddy Mullins Tony Mullins 3/1 Fav
1982 Fethard Friend 7-10-09 M Aherne Francis Flood Frank Berry 7/4 Fav
1981 Luska 7-10-01 John Brophy Paddy Mullins T V Finn 100/30
1980 Kilbricken Money 11-9-07 Mrs Charmian Hill
*Run at Fairyhouse

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