Dooley Insurance Champion Novice Chase |
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| Grade 1, Punchestown 16:50 €125,000 guaranteed 5yo plus 3m 120y  |
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1 Western Fold 18/1
2
Fleur In The Park 11/1
3
Nowwhatdoyouthink 33/1
9 ran NR: Lovely Hurling Distances: 3¾l, 4½l, ¾l
Time: 6m 31.80s (slow by 4.30s)
18/1 chance Western Fold lands Grade 1 honours in a thrilling Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase! @punchestownrace @jackkennedy15 | @gelliott_racing pic.twitter.com/cz1lUqcgUT
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 28, 2026
Western Fold delivered a timely boost to Gordon Elliott’s trainers’ championship challenge with a determined success here.
The Grade One contest developed at a strong tempo, with Brown Advisory winner Kitzbuhel setting the pace before beginning to weaken as the race approached its decisive phase. July Flower briefly assumed control heading towards the final fence, with the field closing in behind.
Western Fold, however, produced a decisive leap at the last to gain the advantage, joining Fleur In The Park and Nowwhatdoyouthink in a tightly contested battle up the run-in, as Kitzbuhel was pulled up.
Under a well-judged ride from Jack Kennedy, the 18/1 chance found most when it mattered, asserting in the closing stages to secure the €73,625 first prize by three and three-quarter lengths from Fleur In The Park.
Elliott said: “That is great and while I was nervous of the three miles, the last two times we tried him over it we rode him too handy. We rode him cold today and it was a good performance. Some horses come to the end of their season around now, but he has been busier than most and is one of the top five earners this season.
“We initially thought about going for the American Grand National, a race Zanahiyr won last year for us, and while we have tried Western Fold in open company in Ireland and it didn’t work out, the American race is a Grade One so is nothing to be sneezed at.
“I’m not saying we won’t go to America, but there is also the PWC Champion Chase at Gowran in October for him too and maybe we could pot hunt. The key to this horse is the ground and he is a stone better on it.”
He added: “He will have a little break now and while I’d love to go back for the Galway Plate, he might be too high in the weights after today.”
Dooley Insurance Champion Novice Chase (Grade 1)
€125,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 3m 120y, Class 1
9 ran
Going: Yielding, Good to Yielding in places
Past Results:
Age: 9
Wt: 11-10
Owner: Miss M A Masterson
Trainer: W P Mullins
Jockey: Danny Mullins
Age: 6
Wt: 11-10
Owner: John P McManus
Trainer: James Joseph Mangan
Jockey: Mark Walsh
Age: 6
Wt: 11-10
Owner: John P McManus
Trainer: Emmet Mullins
Jockey: Donagh Meyler
Age: 6
Wt: 11-10
Owner: John P McManus
Trainer: W P Mullins
Jockey: Mark Walsh
Age: 8
Wt: 11-05
Owner: Mrs N Flynn
Trainer: W P Mullins
Jockey: Danny Mullins
Covid 19
Age/Wt: 6-11-10
Owner: Gigginstown House Stud
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: D N Russell
Age/Wt: 7-11-10
Owner: Mrs P Sloan
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: D N Russell
Age/Wt: 6-11-10
Owner: Gigginstown House Stud
Trainer: N Meade
Jockey: B J Cooper
Age/Wt: 7-11-10
Owner: Chris Jones
Trainer: Andrew Lynch
Jockey: Davy Russell
Age/Wt: 6-11-10
Owner: Gigginstown House Stud
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Ruby Walsh
Age/Wt: 8-11-10
Owner: J P McManus
Trainer: John Kiely
Jockey: A P McCoy
Age/Wt: 8-11-10
Owner: Barry Connell
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Danny Mullins
Age/Wt: 6-11-10
Owner: Gigginstown House Stud
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Davy Russell
Age/Wt: 7-11-10
Owner: Gigginstown House Stud
Trainer: Colm Murphy
Jockey: Davy Russell
Age/Wt: 7-11-10
Owner: J P McManus
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: A P McCoy
Age/Wt: 7-11-10
Owner: D A Syndicate
Trainer: Dessie Hughes
Jockey: Paddy Flood
Age/Wt: 6-11-10
Owner: Brian Walsh (Co. Kildare)
Trainer: Charlie Mann GB
Jockey: Noel Fehily
Age/Wt: 7-11-10
Owner: Brian Polly
Trainer: Charlie Swan
Jockey: Denis O’Regan
Age/Wt: 7-11-10
Owner: Violet O’Leary
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: David Casey
Age/Wt: 7-11-10
Owner: Sean Mulryan
Trainer: Michael O’Brien
Jockey: Timmy Murphy
Age/Wt: 8-11-08
Owner: Plain Peeps
Trainer: Victor Dartnall GB
Jockey: Jim Culloty
Age/Wt: 6-11-00
Owner: Mrs Seamus Neville
Trainer: Seamus Neville
Jockey: Davy Russell
Age/Wt: 6-10-09
Owner: Patrick J O’Donovan
Trainer: Paddy Mullins
Jockey: David Casey
Age/Wt: 8-11-12
Owner: Seamus O’Farrell
Trainer: Frances Crowley
Jockey: David Casey
Age/Wt: 7-12-00
Owner: Wilson Dennison
Trainer: Arthur Moore
Jockey: Barry Cash
Age/Wt: 6-12-00
Owner: David Attwood
Trainer: Jessica Harrington
Jockey: Barry Geraghty
Age/Wt: 8-11-05
Owner: Herb M Stanley
Trainer: Michael Cunningham
Jockey: A P McCoy
Age/Wt: 8-11-08
Owner: Hon. Mrs Townshend
Trainer: Tim Thomson Jones GB
Jockey: Richard Dunwoody
Age/Wt: 7-12-00
Owner: Patrick Heffernan
Trainer: Patrick Heffernan
Jockey: Conor O’Dwyer
Age/Wt: 5-11-03
Owner: Jim Lewis
Trainer: Simon Christian GB
Jockey: Richard Dunwoody
Age/Wt: 7-12-00
Owner: Tony O’Reilly
Trainer: Mouse Morris
Jockey: Graham Bradley
Age/Wt: 6-11-05
Owner: Sheila Moore
Trainer: Paddy Mullins
Jockey: Trevor Horgan
Age/Wt: 9-11-10
Owner: W A Jones
Trainer: Martin Pipe GB
Jockey: Peter Scudamore
* Run at Fairyhouse
