Coral Punchestown Gold Cup
Grade 1, Punchestown 17:30
 €275,000 added, 5yo plus,
3m 1f, Class 1      
Wednesday 1st May 2019

QuinnBet

1 Kemboy 13/8F
2 Al Boum Photo 7/4
3 The Storyteller 25/1
8 ran Distances: 2l, 22l, 4¾l
Time: 6m 25.40s (slow by 26.40s)

Kemboy beats Al Boum Photo!

A fantastic race between two brilliant horses!

Ruby Walsh announced his immediate retirement from the saddle after landing the feature event of the Punchestown Festival, with Kemboy seeing off the sustained challenge of his Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning stable companion Al Boum Photo in a thrilling finish.

Walsh was seen to wave goodbye to the crowd as Kemboy passed the post and bows out having ridden over 2,500 winners and with more Cheltenham Festival successes to his name than any other rider in history.

Kemboy is ante-post favourite for next year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup – a race in which he made it no further than the first fence in March.

But whatever happens with Kemboy next season, he is assured of his place in history having provided Walsh with his last ever winner – a fact that is not lost on his connections.

Trainers Quotes

Steve Massey, racing manager for the owners, the Supreme Horse Racing Club, said: “It’s absolutely unbelievable. I don’t think any of us saw it coming.

“Ruby is an absolute superstar and a fantastic horseman. To me, he’s the best National Hunt jockey there’s ever been.

“Whether he’s riding in a handicap at Tramore or the Punchestown Gold Cup, he knows the form of all the horses in the races and the strengths and weaknesses of all his rivals.

“He’s a complete professional and a total gent and it’s fantastic for him and his family that he’s gone out on a high.

“It still hasn’t really sunk in that he’s retired and for him to ride his last ever winner in our colours is just incredible.

“It’s a day none of us will ever forget.”

Of Kemboy, Massey added: “He’s an unbelievable little horse. He had a great novice campaign last season, but if you’d told me this time last year that he’d win three Grade Ones this season I wouldn’t have believed you.

“He’s won a Clonmel Oil Chase, a Savills Chase, an Aintree Bowl and a Punchestown Gold Cup. His only blip came at Cheltenham, but hopefully he’ll get a chance to put that right next March.

“He’ll get a well-earned holiday now and his owners can spend the summer dreaming, which is what it’s all about.”

Punchestown Gold Cup
€275,000 added, 5yo plus, 3m 1f, Class 1
8 ran
Going: Yielding

Pos D Horse Jockey Weight Trainer Age
1st Kemboy (FR) 13/8f R Walsh
11-10		 W P Mullins 7
2nd 2 Al Boum Photo (FR) 7/4 P Townend
11-10		 W P Mullins 7
3rd 22 The Storyteller (IRE) 25/1 D N Russell
11-10		 G Elliott 8
4th 4¾ Bellshill (IRE) 5/1 D J Mullins
11-10		 W P Mullins 9
5th 2 Definitly Red (IRE) 22/1 D R Cook
11-10		 B Ellison 10
6th 7 Snow Falcon (IRE) 33/1 S W Flanagan
11-10		 N Meade 9
7th 11 Sub Lieutenant (IRE) 33/1 J W Kennedy
11-10		 H De Bromhead 10
PU Monalee (IRE) 13/2 Rachael Blackmore
11-10		 H De Bromhead 8

Free Racing Tips

Year Horse Age/Wt Owner Trainer Jockey SP

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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