Punchestown 2005

Punchestown 2004

PUNCHESTOWN FESTIVAL SET TO END SEASON ON HIGH
10/04/06

Gold Cup And Champion Hurdle 1-2-3-4 Among Star Entries

A vintage 2005/06 jump season is set to reach its brilliant climax at Punchestown's Irish National Hunt Festival from April 25 to 28, with a whole host of the sport's biggest names among the entries revealed today for the nine early-closing races.

Many of the most impressive winners from Aintree are engaged while the first four home from both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle, as well as the Queen Mother Champion Chase and Ladbrokes World Hurdle winners, could be on show at the 2006 Irish National Hunt Festival, which has a record 2.289 million euros in prize money on offer.

War Of Attrition
© racing-images.co.uk

All eyes will be on War Of Attrition, one of 16 entries in the Grade 1 PUNCHESTOWN GUINNESS GOLD CUP on Wednesday, April 26, when he will bid to follow up on last month's brilliant totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup victory. Hedgehunter, Forget The Past and L'Ami, who respectively finished second, third and fourth at Cheltenham, are others engaged.

Beef Or Salmon
© racing-images.co.uk

Hi Cloy, winner of the Grade 1 Melling Chase at Aintree on Friday, Beef Or Salmon, who bids to bounce back after two disappointing runs in Britain, the exciting In Compliance and John Smith's Grand National fourth Nil Desperandum are others entered in the 240,000 euro race.

Asian Maze, a brilliant 17-length winner of the Scottish and Newcastle Aintree Hurdle on Saturday, could take on the first four finishers in last month's Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle in the Grade 1 ACC BANK CHAMPION HURDLE on Friday, April 28. Brave Inca, Macs Joy, Hardy Eustace and Al Eile - the first four home at Cheltenham - are all engaged in the 200,000 euro race.

The versatile Newmill, winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham, has also been entered in the ACC Bank Champion Hurdle, although John Murphy's stable star is among the 19 entries for the Grade 1 KERRYGOLD CHAMPION CHASE on Tuesday, April 25. The Cheltenham second Fota Island is also entered in the 200,000 euro contest.

The Nick Gifford-trained Straw Bear, winner of Aintree's John Smith's Imagine Appeal Top Novices' Hurdle, is one of 24 engaged in the Grade 1 VC BET CHAMPION NOVICE HURDLE, in which the Noel Meade-trained Sweet Wake is another eye-catching entry. Foreman, who captured the John Smith's Maghull Novices' Chase on Saturday at Aintree, is one of 24 entries in the Grade 1 SWORDLESTOWN CUP NOVICES' CHASE.

Detroit City
© racing-images.co.uk

Detroit City, who completed a rare juvenile championship double in Cheltenham's JCB Triumph Hurdle and Aintree's Sportsman Anniversary 4YO Novices' Hurdle, is one of 27 entries in the Grade 1 TOTE.IE CHAMPION FOUR YEAR OLD HURDLE on Thursday, April 27, while Nicanor, who landed last month's Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, is one of 43 entered in the 100,000 euro Grade 1 DUNBOYNE CASTLE HOTEL & SPA CHAMPION NOVICE HURDLE as are Paul Nicholls' Natal and the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Refinement, both impressive winners at Aintree.

My Way De Solzen, winner of the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham and runner-up in last week's Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree, is among 22 entries for the Grade 1 WHITEWATER CHAMPION STAYERS' HURDLE in which Ambobo, owned by sponsor Sean Mulryan, could have his first start for Grand National-winning trainer Martin Brassil.

The 100,000 euro BETFAIR.COM NOVICE HANDICAP CHASE, always an ultra-competitive event, has 64 entries of which 18 are trained in Britain.

Dick O'Sullivan, General Manager at Punchestown Racecourse, said: "It is a golden era for Irish racing and we are delighted that we will not only welcome many of our domestic champions to this year's Punchestown Festival but also some of the best performers from Britain and France."

2006 IRISH NATIONAL HUNT FESTIVAL
PUNCHESTOWN, APRIL 25-28
NB - Form figures are in the Irish format, which run on the calender year

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

VC Bet Champion Novice H'dle (Grade 1) (Euro) 100,000 ( 2m 5yo+ )
NHFrm
Form Horse Trainer Rating
4261 Aztec Warrior (MissHCKnight (in GB)) .
3u67 Ballyagran (NMeade)
1345 Beautiful Vision (TJTaaffe) (121)
1334 Boychuk (PJHobbs (in GB))
25020 Classic Role (GB) (LWells (in GB))
3-110 Desert Quest (PFNicholls (in GB))
11u2 Glenfinn Captain (TJTaaffe)
3112 Iktitaf (NMeade) (136)
21127 Jazz Messenger (FR) (NMeade)
20 Kalderon (GER) (THogan)
Mesopotamia (MJPO'Brien)
391 Middlemarch (GER) (GCully) (116)
-40 Moon Over Miami (GER) (CJMann (in GB))
2111 Mounthenry (CByrnes)
1120 O'Muircheartaigh (EJO'Grady)
12-2U Pablo Du Charmil (FR) (MCPipe (in GB))
u11 Parliament Square (MJPO'Brien)
2231 Schindlers Hunt (DTHughes)
3-114 Senorita Rumbalita (GB) (AKing (in GB))
1361 Silent Oscar (CPDonoghue)
-1121 Straw Bear (USA) (NJGifford (in GB))
144 Sublimity (FR) (JGCarr) (138)
115 Sweet Wake (GER) (NMeade)
-1F Welcome Stranger (GB) (GLMoore (in GB))

Kerrygold Champion S'chase (Grade 1) (Euro)200,000 ( 2m 5yo+ )
NHFrm
Form Horse Trainer Rating
13f6 Accordion Etoile (PNolan) (149)
4115 Always (GB) (NMeade) (138)
6-1F3 Andreas (FR) (PFNicholls (in GB))
414R Central House (GB) (DTHughes) (160)
2056 Commonchero (MJPO'Brien) (130)
3-12B Dempsey (MPitman (in GB))
2122 Fota Island (MFMorris) (162)
4364 Ground Ball (CFSwan) (143)
1u13 Justified (ESheehy)
6119 Mansony (FR) (ALTMoore)
3543 Mariah Rollins (PAFahy) (141)
253R Native Upmanship (ALTMoore) (144)
4311 Newmill (JJMurphy) (171)
2281 Old Flame (PNolan) (140)
932f Ross River (GB) (AJMartin) (129)
11ff Sir Oj (NMeade) (148)
1f14 Solar System (TJTaaffe) (128)
0425 Steel Band (GB) (PARoche) (130)
1461 Watson Lake (NMeade) (157)

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup (Grade 1) (Euro)240,000 ( 3m 1f 5yo+ )
NHFrm
Form Horse Trainer Rating
241u Back In Front (EJO'Grady)
110U Beef Or Salmon (MHourigan) (167)
3113 Forget The Past (GB) (MJPO'Brien) (159)
4222 Hedgehunter (WPMullins) (166)
4631 Hi Cloy (MHourigan) (157)
2311 In Compliance (MJPO'Brien)
44-07 Joes Edge (FMurphy (in GB)) (140)
2-243 L'Ami (FR) (FDoumen (in FR))
42-64 Monkerhostin (FR) (PJHobbs (in GB))
-234F My Will (FR) (PFNicholls (in GB))
253R Native Upmanship (ALTMoore) (144)
p424 Nil Desperandum (MsFMCrowley) (135)
6-405 Ollie Magern (GB) (NATwistonDavies (in GB))
1p17 The Railway Man (ALTMoore)
1521 War Of Attrition (MFMorris) (171)
1461 Watson Lake (NMeade) (157)

Thursday, April 27, 2006

toteie Champion Four Year Old H'dle (Grade 1) (Euro)110,000 ( 2m 4yo )
NHFrm
Form Horse Trainer Rating
1-153 Afsoun (FR) (NJHenderson (in GB))
1252 Artist's Muse (TMWalsh)
11232 Blazing Bailey (GB) (AKing (in GB))
42f Breathing Fire (GB) (MrsJHarrington)
f211p Bureaucrat (GB) (PJHobbs (in GB))
63-15 Chiaro (FR) (PJHobbs (in GB))
3140 Clear Riposte (WPMullins)
-1111 Detroit City (USA) (PJHobbs (in GB))
3842 Dream Of Tomorrow (JJMurphy)
34-28 Fair Along (GER) (PJHobbs (in GB))
31319 First Row (DTHughes)
-12 Jack The Giant (NJHenderson (in GB))
1 Jagoes Mills (TO'Leary)
9412 Josephine Cullen (WPMullins)
0999 Look No Further (JJMurphy)
118 Mister Hight (FR) (WPMullins)
Only Make Believe (GB) (JSBolger)
-152 Osako D'Airy (FR) (SGollings (in GB))
-1647 Pace Shot (GLMoore (in GB))
5110 Quatre Heures (FR) (WPMullins)
62 Roman Villa (USA) (MrsJHarrington)
4p110 Shamayoun (FR) (CREgerton (in GB))
Sir Edward Elgar (SJMahon)
2-165 Turko (FR) (PFNicholls (in GB))
15-3p Twist Magic (FR) (PFNicholls (in GB))
18 Widely Accepted (JCrowley) (102)
517 Yameell (GB) (DMarnane)

Swordlestown Cup Novice S'chase (Grade 1) (Euro)100,00000 ( 2m 5yo+ )
NHFrm
Form Horse Trainer Rating
13f6 Accordion Etoile (PNolan) (149)
4128 Arteea (MHourigan)
1145 Davenport Democrat (WPMullins) (143)
31-fp Demi Beau (GB) (EWilliams (in GB))
122u Father Matt (NMeade)
9131 Foreman (GER) (TDoumen (in FR))
52-14 Hoo La Baloo (FR) (PFNicholls (in GB))
2311 In Compliance (MJPO'Brien)
1u13 Justified (ESheehy)
3u21 Laoch Dubh (Hde Bromhead) (109)
6119 Mansony (FR) (ALTMoore)
216p Master Ofthe Chase (CFSwan) (127)
1116 Missed That (GB) (WPMullins)
1ff8 Monjoyau (FR) (EJO'Grady) (130)
1p22 Nickname (FR) (MBrassil)
213u Our Ben (GB) (WPMullins) (143)
3216 Public Reaction (GB) (EUHales)
6-141 Rubberdubber (GB) (CREgerton (in GB))
4233 Some Timbering (ESheehy)
51p-p Symphonique (FR) (PJHobbs (in GB))
1p17 The Railway Man (ALTMoore)
1232 Tiger Cry (ALTMoore) (139)
2224 Wild Passion (GER) (NMeade)
1329 Zum See (NMeade) (125)

Whitewater Champion Stayers' H'dle (Grade 1) (Euro)200,000 ( 3m 4yo+ )
NHFrm
Form Horse Trainer Rating
71146 Al Eile (JQueally) (159)
1-219 Ambobo (USA) (MBrassil)
12f1 Asian Maze (TMullins) (144)
1206 Ballygally Bay (GB) (SJMahon)
-0206 Carlys Quest (GB) (FMurphy (in GB))
3500 Davenport Milenium (WPMullins) (130)
2216 Emotional Moment (TJTaaffe) (151)
0254 Essex (MJPO'Brien) (155)
2-14P Fire Dragon (JO'Neill (in GB))
1233 Homer Wells (WPMullins)
27-0P Intersky Falcon (GB) (JO'Neill (in GB))
5051 Kadoun (MJPO'Brien) (144)
462f Kerryhead Windfarm (MHourigan)
3f83 Mughas (AKing (in GB))
1-112 My Way De Solzen (FR) (AKing (in GB))
6350 Royal Paradise (FR) (TFoley) (135)
2113 Sky's The Limit (FR) (EJO'Grady) (158)
3221 Strangely Brown (EMcNamara) (142)
2110 Studmaster (GB) (MrsJHarrington) (140)
123f Travino (MsMMullins)
2054p Westmeath Flyer (GB) (PABlockley (in GB))
8547 Yogi (TFoley) (130)

Friday, April 28, 2006

ACC Bank Champion H'dle (Grade 1) (Euro)200,000 ( 2m 5yo+ )
NHFrm
Form Horse Trainer Rating
1146 Al Eile (JQueally) (159)
12f1 Asian Maze (TMullins) (144)
3111 Brave Inca (CAMurphy) (167)
0254 Essex (MJPO'Brien) (155)
3581 Final Act (JJMurphy) (106)
1732 Hardy Eustace (DTHughes) (163)
4212 Macs Joy (MrsJHarrington) (166)
4311 Newmill (JJMurphy)
2113 Sky's The Limit (FR) (EJO'Grady) (158)

betfaircom Novice H'cap S'chase (Grade A) (Euro)100,000 ( 3m 1f 5yo+ )
NHFrm
Form Horse Trainer Rating
u321 American Jennie (MCullen) (124)
251p Augherskea (NMeade)
1221 Ballistraw (MWHickey)
3166 Black Apalachi (PJRothwell) (125)
11-uu Bold Bishop (JO'Neill (in GB))
412p Chetwind Music (WCO'Brien)
uu21 Church Island (MHourigan)
2226 Coljon (PNolan) (128)
3212 Compo (EMcNamara) (109)
07116 Cousin Nicky (GB) (PJHobbs (in GB))
14-pp Crozan (FR) (NJHenderson (in GB))
111-3 Darkness (GB) (CREgerton (in GB))
51123 De Blanc (MissVWilliams (in GB))
2pf5 Deep Return (NMeade)
3008 Dr Julian (AJMartin) (101)
1111 Dun Doire (AJMartin) (137)
1231 Duneden (NMeade)
5123 Far From Trouble (CRoche) (128)
3581 Final Act (JJMurphy) (124)
51-12 Gallant Approach (CREgerton (in GB))
3411 Giolla An Bhaird (MFitzsimons) (116)
1-32F He's The Guv'nor (RHBuckler (in GB))
p0p Heads Onthe Ground (DTHughes) (114)
1233 Homer Wells (WPMullins) (127)
36-11 Hot Weld (GB) (FMurphy (in GB)) (126)
61406 Idole First (MissVWilliams (in GB))
2311 In Compliance (MJPO'Brien)
p61 Julius (FR) (ALTMoore) (100)
462f Kerryhead Windfarm (MHourigan) (127)
1335 Laragh House (EJO'Grady)
3231 Loss Of Faith (MJPO'Brien) (122)
4784 Lost Time (CRoche) (123)
6159 Major Vernon (WPMullins) (127)
p771 Medianoche (MFMorris)
3-115 Montgermont (FR) (MrsLCTaylor (in GB))
62p1 Mr Mcauley (IRFerguson) (114)
3609 Mutineer (DTHughes) (108)
2f231 Natural Storm (FFlood) (114)
412-f Nayodabayo (EWilliams (in GB))
2411p New Field (TMullins) (127)
p41p News Item (GStewart) (103)
r12-p Nirvana Swing (FR) (PFNicholls (in GB))
4-1f6 Olney Lad (GB) (MrsPRobeson (in GB))
1101 One More Minute (CFSwan) (117)
0228 Oulart (GB) (DTHughes) (118)
213u Our Ben (GB) (WPMullins) (143)
70534 Overbury Affair (GB) (EJO'Grady)
53ff Romaha (SJMahon) (130)
7141 Sound Witness (RTyner) (120)
1151 Southern Vic (TMWalsh) (147)
6312 Sunami Storm (WPMullins) (111)
-2118 The Outlier (MissVWilliams (in GB))
3427 Theatre Lane (GB) (ALTMoore) (115)
34p Theboyfrombulawayo (CAMcBratney) (111)
41ff Tigerlion (JBleahen)
3p13 Tumbling Dice (TJTaaffe) (137)
f4-30 Underwriter (USA) (FMurphy (in GB)) (119)
1323- Unleash (USA) (PJHobbs (in GB))
214f Well Tutored (ALTMoore) (113)
11p3 What A Native (CFSwan) (125)
2224 Wild Passion (GER) (NMeade)
22-37 Winsley (GB) (OSherwood (in GB))
03514 Wolf Creek (EJO'Grady)
22-54 Zabenz (NZ) (PJHobbs (in GB))

Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa Champ Nov Hdle
(Grade 1) (Euro)100,000 ( 2m 4f 4yo+ )
NHFrm
Form Horse Trainer Rating
1738 Alpha Royale (CByrnes)
1324 Back To Bid (NMeade)
-1232 Blazing Bailey (GB) (AKing (in GB))
1-334 Boychuk (PJHobbs (in GB))
26610 Chelsea Harbour (TMullins) (116)
63-15 Chiaro (FR) (PJHobbs (in GB))
197 City Deep (PARoche)
3140 Clear Riposte (WPMullins)
-1111 Detroit City (USA) (PJHobbs (in GB))
2131 Finger Onthe Pulse (TJTaaffe)
2111 Gazza's Girl (MrsJHarrington) (119)
11u2 Glenfinn Captain (TJTaaffe)
001 Hidden Talents (MFMorris) (109)
21127 Jazz Messenger (FR) (NMeade)
3246 Justpourit (DTHughes)
63-72 Kings Rock (GB) (PABlockley (in GB))
8741 Kings Wilde (JJMurphy) (109)
1418 Letterman (EJO'Grady)
2211 Mattock Ranger (NMeade) (124)
3f76 Mickataine (MFMorris)
118 Mister Hight (FR) (WPMullins)
1235 Mossbank (MHourigan)
2111 Mounthenry (CByrnes)
1127 Naples (GB) (NMeade)
4-361 Natal (FR) (PFNicholls (in GB))
2211 Nicanor (FR) (NMeade)
1120 O'Muircheartaigh (EJO'Grady)
2133 One Cool Cookie (CFSwan) (119)
u11 Parliament Square (MJPO'Brien)
1112 Pedrobob (AMullins) (123)
2142 Powerstation (CByrnes)
5110 Quatre Heures (FR) (WPMullins)
-1131 Refinement (JO'Neill (in GB))
9/11 Royal County Star (AJMartin) (110)
2231 Schindlers Hunt (DTHughes)
1361 Silent Oscar (CPDonoghue)
211f Sir Overbury (GB) (DO'Connell)
121 Snow Tern (NMeade)
-1110 Temoin (GB) (NJHenderson (in GB))
123f Travino (MsMMullins)
p153 Urban Rebel (PMJDoyle) (109)
1312 Vic Venturi (PFenton)
412 Woodbine Willie (PFenton)