William Hill Champion Chase |
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| Grade 1, Punchestown 17:25 €250,000 added, 5yo plus, 2m, Class 1  |
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| Tuesday 27th April 2021 | |
1 Chacun Pour Soi 6/5F
2 Allaho 6/4
3 Nube Negra 6/1
6 ran NR: Daly Tiger Distances: 5½l, 19l, 4¼l
Time: 4m 11.00s (slow by 13.00s)
🏇🏆 CHACUN POUR SOI bolts up at @punchestownrace to claim a fifth Grade 1 in the William Hill Champion Chase!
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) April 27, 2021
🤠 A 1-2 in the race for @WillieMullinsNH, who claims a treble on the card already!pic.twitter.com/samONzPx7c
Chacun Pour Soi bounced back to his brilliant best, proving much too good for Allaho.
The nine-year-old was a red-hot favourite to provide trainer Willie Mullins with a first victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham last month, following three runaway victories earlier in the season.
However, after hitting the front on the run to the final fence there, Paul Townend’s mount faltered up the hill and passed the post only third.
With Ryanair Chase-winning stablemate Allaho and Dan Skelton’s Champion Chase runner-up Nube Negra in opposition this time, Chacun Pour Soi faced a far from straightforward task in his bid to get back on the winning trail – but he could hardly have been more impressive.
Having disputed the early running with Allaho, Townend sent the Rich and Susannah Ricci-owned winner to a clear lead with over a circuit to race – and they were then never headed.
Having looked outpaced back over this shorter trip before the home turn, Allaho attempted to close the gap in the straight, but 6-5 favourite Chacun Pour Soi was ultimately far too strong for his stablemate and passed the post with five and a half lengths in hand.
Nube Negra was some 19 lengths further behind in third.
Mullins said: “I think they were just on song today, both himself (Chacun Pour Soi) and Paul.
“They gave an exhibition of jumping and racing. He just had horses out of their comfort zone from very early on.
“Cheltenham was disappointing – I felt it wasn’t the Chacun Pour Soi that we know.
“I don’t know why he did what he did at Cheltenham, and maybe we just weren’t positive enough on him.
“Anyhow, he was disappointing, but it’s good to see that he’s back to himself.”
Townend, who returned to the saddle earlier in the day following a spell on the sidelines with injury, was hugely impressed.
He told Racing TV: “That was a proper performance – that was the real Chacun.
“We were all disappointed in Cheltenham. The horse didn’t fire there, but there was no hiding place today – and he jumped for fun.
“His jumping kept me in my comfort zone at all stages – he was electric. That just allowed me to fill him up as we went along, and he was a joy to ride and gave me a serious thrill.
“They’re animals and not machines. He didn’t fire at Cheltenham, but he fired today.”
William Hill Champion Chase
€250,000 added, 5yo plus, 2m, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Yielding, Good to Yielding in places
POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 Chacun Pour Soi 9 12-0 W P Mullins Paul Townend 6/5F
2 5½ Allaho 7 12-0 W P Mullins Rachael Blackmore 6/4
3 19 Nube Negra 7 12-0 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 6/1
4 4¼ Cilaos Emery 9 12-0 W P Mullins Brian Hayes 16/1
5 ¾ Castlegrace Paddy 10 12-0 P A Fahy B J Cooper 125/1
6 13 First Flow 9 12-0 Kim Bailey David Bass 25/1
NR Daly Tiger 8 12-0 Noel Meade NON RUNNER
Past Results:
| Year | Horse | Age/Wt/Owner | Trainer | Jockey |
| 2020 | Abandoned (Covid-19) |
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| 2019 | Un De Sceaux 11/4 | 11-11-12 E O'Connell |
Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2018 | Un De Sceaux 9/2 | 10-11-12 E O'Connell |
Willie Mullins | Mr P W Mullins |
| 2017 | Fox Norton 5/2 | 7-11-12 Ann & Alan Potts Limited |
C L Tizzard | R M Power |
| 2016 | God's Own 9/1 | 8-11-12 Crossed Fingers P’ship |
T R George | P J Brennan |
| 2015 | Felix Yonger 5/1 | 9-11-12 Andrea & Graham Wylie |
Willie Mullins | Danny Mullins |
| 2014 | Sizing Europe 7/1 | 12-11-12 Ann & Alan Potts P’ship |
Henry de Bromhead | Andrew Lynch |
| 2013 | Sprinter Sacre 1/9 Fav |
7-11-12 Mrs Caroline Mould |
Nicky Henderson GB | Barry Geraghty |
| 2012 | Sizing Europe 8/13 Fav |
10-11-12 Ann & Alan Potts P’ship |
Henry de Bromhead | Andrew Lynch |
| 2011 | Big Zeb 9/4 |
10-11-12 Pat Redmond |
Colm Murphy | Barry Geraghty |
| 2010 | Golden Silver 12/1 |
8-11-12 Violet O’Leary |
Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2009 | Master Minded 30/100 Fav | 6-11-12 Clive Smith |
Paul Nicholls GB | Ruby Walsh |
| 2008 | Twist Magic 6/4 Fav |
6-11-12 Barry Fulton, Tony Hayward, Michael Lynch |
Paul Nicholls GB | Ruby Walsh |
| 2007 | Mansony 13/2 | 8-11-12 Michael Mulholland |
Arthur Moore | Davy Russell |
| 2006 | Newmill 5/4 Fav | 8-11-12 Mary Hayes |
John Murphy | Andrew McNamara |
| 2005 | Rathgar Beau 8/1 | 9-11-12 One-O-Eight Racing Club |
Eamon Sheehy | Shay Barry |
| 2004 | Moscow Flyer 4/11 Fav | 10-11-12 Brian Kearney |
Jessica Harrington | Barry Geraghty |
| 2003 | Flagship Uberalles 8/1 | 9-12-00 J P McManus |
Philip Hobbs GB | Richard Johnson |
| 2002 | Strong Run 4/1 | 9-12-00 Michael McGrath |
Noel Meade | Paul Carberry |
| *2001 | Micko’s Dream 5/1 | 9-12-00 Sport Racing Club |
Willie Mullins | Ruby Walsh |
| 2000 | Get Real 3/1 | 9-11-06 Pioneer Heat-Treatment |
Nicky Henderson GB | Mick Fitzgerald |
| 1999 | Celibate 7/1 | 8-11-09 Stamford Bridge P’ship |
Charlie Mann GB | Richard Dunwoody |
| 1998 | Big Matt 16/1 | 10-10-11 Ted Benfield & Bill Brown |
Nicky Henderson GB | Mick Fitzgerald |
| 1997 | Klairon Davis 11/10 Fav | 8-12-00 Chris Jones |
Arthur Moore | Francis Woods |
| 1996 | Klairon Davis 5/2 | 7-12-00 Chris Jones |
Arthur Moore | Francis Woods |
| 1995 | Strong Platinum 3/1 Fav | 7-11-01 Theresa McCoubrey |
Paddy Burke | Conor O’Dwyer |
| 1994 | Saraemma 16/1 | 8-10-12 Dermot Cox |
Homer Scott | Kevin O’Brien |
| 1993 | Viking Flagship 5/4 Fav | 6-10-07 Roach Foods Ltd |
David Nicholson GB | Richard Dunwoody |
| 1992 | The Musical Priest 8/1 | 10-10-07 Mrs Seamus Purcell |
Michael Purcell | Jason Titley |
| 1991 | Good For A Laugh 8/1 | 7-9-11 Dr Michael Smurfit |
Arthur Moore | Charlie Swan |
| 1990 | Rust Never Sleeps 14/1 | 6-10-06 D M Murphy |
Austin Leahy | Gerry O’Neill |
| 1989 | Super Furrow 12/1 | 9-12-00 Mrs M Marshall |
Jerry O’Neill | Padge Gill |
| 1988 | Flying Ferret 8/1 | 7-9-07 Mrs V O’Leary |
Tony Redmond | Brendan Powell |
| 1987 | Eddie Wee 11/2 Jt Fav | 11-10-12 Mrs Y Rock |
Billy Rock | Conor O’Dwyer |
| 1986 | Another Brownie 6/1 | 7-9-07 S Lucey |
M McGrath | J P Byrne |
| 1985 | Buck House 11/10 Fav | 7-11-07 Mrs S Purcell |
Mouse Morris | Tommy Carmody |
| 1984 | Travelowen 6/4 Fav | 7-12-00 Mrs M Kelly |
Tom Costello | Mr Tom Costello |
| 1983 | Turloughmore Lad 7/1 | 8-9-07 M McDonagh |
Paddy Norris | Paul Leech |
| 1982 | Light The Wad 3/1 | 9-11-03 Exors of Patrick Downey |
Dessie Hughes | Tom Morgan |
| 1981 | Light The Wad 6/1 | 8-10-10 Patrick Downey |
Dessie Hughes | Frank Leavy |
| 1980 | Paddy Bouler 7/4 Fav | 7-11-04 P Rooney |
Pat Rooney | S Lynch |
