Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle
 QuinnBet
Grade 1, Punchestown 18:00
 €125,000 guaranteed,
4yo, 2m 4f,
Class 1   
Friday 28th April 2023

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1 Impaire Et Passe 1/3F
2 High Definition 12/1
3 Champ Kiely 7/2
5 ran NR: Thecompanysergeant
Distances: 7½l, 3½l, 9½l Time: 4m 53.20s (slow by 24.20s)

The Willie Mullins-trained Impaire Et Passe sat third throughout much of the extended two miles and three furlongs of the Grade One contest.

Though he made a novicey mistake six out, which saw him with plenty of ground to make up, jockey Paul Townend appeared to ooze confidence as stablemate Champ Kiely and the Joseph O’Brien-trained High Definition set the pace.

There was still plenty to do approaching two out and for a brief moment, High Definition and JJ Slevin looked set to cause a shock.

But Townend had plenty up his sleeve and the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned gelding soon cruised upsides and went to the front on the bridle after being given a reminder that this was not simply a piece of work.

Jumping clear at the last, he stormed home to record a seven-and-a-half length success, with High Definition hanging on for second, despite stumbling when hitting the running rail after jumping the last.

Mullins was far from happy with the performance, however.

Trainers Quotes

He said: “He didn’t impress me at all, I was delighted he won, but throughout the race he wasn’t impressing me.

“He looked like he wasn’t enjoying it and maybe Cheltenham took much more out of him than we thought.

“At home he was on fire and maybe I did too much with him, because he was going so well.

“It’s hard to say something went wrong when you win by seven and-a half lengths.

“Maybe he loves the hill in Cheltenham, he just got going up the hill, whereas today is a flat track. I’ll have a quick chat with Paul later on and see what he thought.

“Turning for home, I wouldn’t have backed him, so to win after that just means that he has a huge engine, but he wasn’t really in love with what he was doing today, whether it was the ground or what I don’t know.

“I think we’ll freshen him up now. I was thinking maybe of going to France but I won’t, I think I’ll just put him away.”

BetGoodwin

Townend echoed the sentiments, hinting his charge needed waking up.

He said: “It was not as straightforward as I was hoping. Maybe it was just because I was left on my own. I think everyone could see that I was never really happy throughout the race.

“When I got upsides them, he came on the bridle for me and his class shone through then.”

He added: “He’ll have no problem jumping a fence, but I’d say it will depend on what the horse across the water (Constitution Hill) is doing as well!”

Anthony Bromley, racing representative of owners Isaac Souede and Simon Munir and the man who purchases most of their horses, intimated that while the five-year-old has the size to be a chaser, the move to larger obstacles might be put on hold while the education process continues.

“He was quite switched off in the race and Paul had to wind him up a little bit turning but he picked up,” noted Bromley.

“To be fair, some of his races haven’t always been impressive. In the Moscow Flyer (at Punchestown), he wasn’t ‘Wow,’ and that’s why they went up in trip. He just needs to be woken up. I think there’s so much talent under the bonnet and I think he’s still a work in progress.

“He’s a big frame of a horse. He only had one bumper run last year and that’s his fourth hurdle run. I think the plan might be to stay hurdling and learn a bit more. But, the great Willie will tell us. In Willie we trust!

“You worry turning in slightly, you have a little moment, and suddenly by the line it’s clear and he’s winning easing down. He’s got great potential.”

FormRatings

The ‘Double Green’ colours had already enjoyed Grade One success at the meeting, with El Fabiolo on Thursday.

“There’s a lot of nice youngsters at Willie’s and it’s so exciting,” Bromley said.

“Isaac and Simon get a lot of fun from it. They love the Dublin Racing Festival, they love Cheltenham but Punchestown has really worked and they’ve been here all week, and to get two nice big winners – proper big winners – and horses that look like they might be superstars, is brilliant.

“And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? They put a lot into it. They’ve got a lot of horses and we’ve kissed a lot of frogs. But these two are exciting.”

QuinnBet

Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)
€125,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 4f, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Yielding, Good to Yielding in places

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    Impaire Et Passe 5 11-12 W P Mullins Paul Townend 1/3F
2 7½ High Definition 5 11-12 Joseph O'Brien J J Slevin 12/1
3 3½ Champ Kiely 7 11-12 W P Mullins Danny Mullins 7/2
4 9½ Inothewayurthinkin 5 11-12 Gavin Cromwell Mark Walsh 20/1
5 4½ Amir Kabir 6 11-12 Gordon Elliott Keith Donoghue 50/1
NR 6 Thecompanysergeant 6 11-12 Denis Gerard Hogan NON RUNNER

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PAST RESULTS
Year Horse Age/Wt Owner Trainer Jockey SP
2022 State Man 5 11-10 Mrs J Donnelly W P Mullins Paul Townend 11/10F
2021 Gaillard Du Mesnil 5 11-12 Mrs J Donnelly W P Mullins Paul Townend 1/2F
2020 Abandoned - Covid-19
2019 Reserve Tank 5-11-10 The Reserve Tankers Stud Colin Tizzard R M Power 13/2
2018 Dortmund Park 5-11-10 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott J W Kennedy 16/1
2017 Bacardys 6-11-10 Shanakiel Racing Synd. Willie Mullins Mr Patrick Mullins 10/1
2016 Jer's Girl 4-6-10 John P McManus G P Cromwell Barry Geraghty 11/8 Fav
2015 Nichols Canyon 5-11-10 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 4/5 Fav
2014 Vautour 5-11-10 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 1/3 Fav
2013 Un Atout 5-11-10 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins Davy Russell 4/6 Fav
2012 Dedigout 6-11-10 Gigginstown House Stud Tony Martin Davy Russell 100/30
2011 Spirit Of Adjisa 7-11-10 Darr, Johnson, Weston & Whitaker Tim Vaughan GB Richard Johnson 16/1
2010 Reve De Sivola 5-11-10 Paul Duffy Diamond P’shp Nick Williams GB Daryl Jacob 9/4 Fav
2009 Mikael D’Haguenet 5-11-10 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 8/11 Fav
2008 Tranquil Sea 6-11-10 Dermot Cox Edward O’Grady Andrew McNamara 7/1
2007 Glencove Marina 5-11-11 John Brennan Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 11/4 Jt Fav
2006 Nicanor 5-11-11 Des Sharkey Noel Meade Ruby Walsh 9/10 Fav
2005 Asian Maze 6-11-07 Sheila Moore Tom Mullins Paul Carberry 6/4 Fav
2004 Sadlers Wings 6-11-12 John J Brennan Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 4/5 Fav
2003 Nobody Told Me 5-11-06 Amber Syndicate Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 9/1
2002 Davenport Milenium 6-11-12 Miriam O’Callaghan Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 100/30
*2001 Colonel Braxton 6-11-12 Sue Magnier Dessie Hughes Kieran Kelly 8/13 Fav
2000 What’s Up Boys 6-12-00 R J B Partners Philip Hobbs GB Richard Johnson 6/1
1999 Native Upmanship 6-12-00 Sue Magnier Arthur Moore Tommy Treacy 8/1
1998 Ballygowan Beauty 6-12-00 Mrs Carmel O’Brien Michael Hourigan Conor O’Dwyer 16/1
1997 Istabraq 5-11-13 J P McManus Aidan O’Brien Charlie Swan 4/11 Fav
1996 Castlekellyleader 7-12-00 E Morrissey Paddy Mullins Tommy Treacy 4/1
1995 Treble Bob 5-11-13 Michael Smurfit Dermot Weld Richard Dunwoody 11/10 Fav
*Run at Fairyhouse

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