Dooley Insurance Champion Novice Chase |
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Grade 1, Punchestown 18:30 Race Value: €100,000 5yo plus 3m 120y |
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Tuesday 27th April 2021 |
1 Colreevy 7/1
2 Monkfish 10/11F
4 ran Distances: 8l
Time: 6m 32.20s (slow by 33.20s)
👑 Colreevy - the Queen of @punchestownrace
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 27, 2021
👀 What a way to cap her illustrious career as Colreevy defeats Monkfish with Envoi Allen pulled-up in the G1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase for @WillieMullinsNH & @dan2231 pic.twitter.com/gyRYjKTP6F
Colreevy ended her racing career in a blaze of glory after upsetting big guns Monkfish and Envoi Allen with a superb front-running victory.
A clash between the Willie Mullins-trained Monkfish and Henry de Bromhead’s Envoi Allen was billed as one of the races of the season, with Monkfish protecting an unbeaten record over fences and Envoi Allen bidding to bounce back from his early fall at Cheltenham.
However, Monkfish’s stablemate Colreevy – winner of the inaugural Mares’ Chase in the Cotswolds last month – had other ideas under a well-judged ride from the trainer’s nephew, Danny Mullins.
The 7-1 shot raced enthusiastically and jumped with exuberance on the front end, with eventual runner-up Monkfish sat second under Paul Townend and Envoi Allen third in the hands of Rachael Blackmore.
However, Envoi Allen appeared to be in trouble some way from home before eventually being pulled up approaching the second-last fence, by which time Monkfish was also struggling to peg back the leader.
Colreevy was a little untidy at the final obstacle, but soon regathered her momentum and passed the post eight lengths clear.
The winner, who was recently covered by leading sire Walk In The Park, is now set for a well-earned retirement at the age of eight.
Willie Mullins said: “On ratings she was the best-rated (with the mares’ allowance). Obviously Envoi Allen is not right, and Monkfish probably didn’t run his true race, but she did and probably ran an even better race than she did in Cheltenham.
“It’s a nice send-off for Colreevy. It’s fabulous for the Flynns (owners) and for Danny as well.”
While Townend steered Colreevy to Cheltenham success, Danny Mullins did land a Grade One with her at Limerick earlier in the campaign.
He said: “She’s been a good mare to me this season. I’m delighted to repay the Flynns’ faith in me.
“It was a good performance. She was a little bit sticky early on, but once she warmed into it she proved that she’s a top-class mare.
“When I got away from a third-last and was able to turn to the second-last with a little bit of petrol, I thought I’d be hard to beat – but having said that, Monkfish and Envoi Allen were on my tail, so it was always going to be tough.
“She took a chance at the last, but she’s a lot of power underneath her and kept galloping strongly away from it.”
Dooley Insurance Champion Novice Chase (Grade 1)
€100,000 added, 5yo plus, 3m 120y, Class 1
4 ran
Going: Yielding, Good to Yielding in places
POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 Colreevy 8 11-5 W P Mullins Danny Mullins 7/1
2 8 Monkfish 7 11-12 W P Mullins Paul Townend 10/11F
FELL Franco De Port 6 11-12 W P Mullins B J Cooper 40/1
PU Envoi Allen 7 11-12 Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore 6/4
Past Results:
Year Horse Age/Wt Owner Trainer Jockey SP
2020 Abandonded - Covid 19
2019 Delta Work 6-11-10 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott D N Russell 13/8F
2018 The Storyteller 7-11-10 Mrs P Sloan Gordon Elliott D N Russell 16/1
2017 Disko 6-11-10 Gigginstown House Stud N Meade B J Cooper 13/82016 Zabana 7-11-10 Chris Jones Andrew Lynch Davy Russell 7/2
2015 Valseur Lido 6-11-10 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 15/2
2014 Carlingford Lough 8-11-10 J P McManus John Kiely A P McCoy 7/2
2013 Mount Benbulben 8-11-10 Barry Connell Gordon Elliott Danny Mullins 14/1
2012 Sir Des Champs 6-11-10 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins Davy Russell 2/7 Fav
2011 Quito De La Roque 7-11-10 Gigginstown House Stud Colm Murphy Davy Russell 7/2
2010 Kempes 7-11-10 J P McManus Willie Mullins A P McCoy 9/1
2009 Rare Bob 7-11-10 D A Syndicate Dessie Hughes Paddy Flood 7/1
2008 Air Force One 6-11-10 Brian Walsh (Co. Kildare) Charlie Mann GB Noel Fehily 2/1
2007 Offshore Account 7-11-10 Brian Polly Charlie Swan Denis O’Regan 16/1
2006 Missed That 7-11-10 Violet O’Leary Willie Mullins David Casey 4/1
2005 Forget The Past 7-11-10 Sean Mulryan Michael O’Brien Timmy Murphy 7/4 Fav
2004 Lord Sam 8-11-08 Plain Peeps Victor Dartnall GB Jim Culloty 5/4 Fav
2003 Heart Midoltian 6-11-00 Mrs Seamus Neville Seamus Neville Davy Russell 16/1
2002 Native Endurance 6-10-09 Patrick J O’Donovan Paddy Mullins David Casey 11/2
*2001 Sackville 8-11-12 Seamus O’Farrell Frances Crowley David Casey 4/11 Fav
2000 Zourito 7-12-00 Wilson Dennison Arthur Moore Barry Cash 100/30
1999 Ferbet Junior 6-12-00 David Attwood Jessica Harrington Barry Geraghty 3/1
1998 Fiddlers Tune 8-11-05 Herb M Stanley Michael Cunningham A P McCoy 7/2
1997 Linton Rocks 8-11-08 Hon. Mrs Townshend Tim Thomson Jones GB Richard Dunwoody 7/4 Fav
1996 Shanagarry 7-12-00 Patrick Heffernan Patrick Heffernan Conor O’Dwyer 3/1
1995 Camitrov 5-11-03 Jim Lewis Simon Christian GB Richard Dunwoody 7/2
1994 Belvederian 7-12-00 Tony O’Reilly Mouse Morris Graham Bradley 8/11 Fav
1993 Force Seven 6-11-05 Sheila Moore Paddy Mullins Trevor Horgan 11/4 Fav
1992 Milford Quay 9-11-10 W A Jones Martin Pipe GB Peter Scudamore 15/8 Fav
* Run at Fairyhouse