Gaelic Warrior stuns Punchestown with 26-length success in day two feature
Paul Townend celebrates winning the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup with Gaelic Warrior
Gaelic Warrior produced a scintillating performance to put his stablemate Fact To File in his place by claiming the Ladbrokes Gold Cup, in front of 26,432 racegoers at the second day of the Punchestown Festival on Wednesday.
Sent off the 5/6 favourite for the Grade 1 event, the Susannah and Rich Ricci owned superstar didn’t have to come off the bridle to romp to a 26-length success over the former Ryanair Chase winner with Grangecastle West another 29 lengths back in third.
This was as deceive as you could get as the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner jumped up alongside the Fact To File, who missed his Cheltenham date due to the ground, before easing clear on the approach to the second-last fence before powering to victory.
Although his owner Rich couldn’t watch the race as it unfolded on the track, he was delighted to win the race for a first time. Commenting in the winners enclosure on the win, Ricci said: “I’m so pleased to win it. I’ve not been here since Ruby retired in 2019. I’ve been busy and we had covid and those kind of things.
“The people here are brilliant and I’m thrilled to win the race. I couldn’t be more delighted. Joe Chambers as well as Willie and Paul and the rest of the team deserve a lot of credit and I’m thrilled for everyone.
“I didn’t watch it but Joe said we were going well. It felt like it was never in doubt and I’m looking forward to watching it.” Trainer Willie Mullins added: “It was a huge performance. My heart was in my mouth when Paul joined him between the fourth last and the third last. I was thinking ‘would they knock one another’ or what would they do. They were going some lick.
“Both jockeys just let fly. Over that trip Gaelic Warrior seemed to have the measure of Fact To File. Over a shorter trip it might be different. It was a hell of a horse race. It takes two horses to do it. It was great that JP allowed Fact To File to take him on. It made for a memorable day, but he was good.”
Jody Townend joined her brother Paul in the winners enclosure in the concluding bumper to bring up a double for trainer Willie Mullins as Even Tho showed her class to ease to a 16-length success in the Irish EBF Mares INH Flat Race.
After winning at Limerick under Patrick Mullins earlier in the season, this was a most impressive performance for their owners – PIL Gallop, as the mare eased into contention turning into the home straight where Townend pressed the button and within strides the race was over.
Sourced by Rachael Blackmore for Mullins, the trainer gave her all the credit. “It was a good buy by her and we’ll have to give Rachael the plaudits for sourcing this one,” said Willie Mullins.
“It was an extraordinary performance. I was hoping my own filly was creeping up the inside with Derek but when Jody set her alight it was all over in a few strides.
“We know she jumps, she’s been around a point-to-point course, so we’re looking forward to going novice hurdling, probably next season.”
