Jack Kennedy landed an all-the-way winner as Touch Me Not took the opening two-mile maiden hurdle at Tramore on Monday. In the Gigginstown House Stud colours, the Gordon Elliott-trained 2/1 chance saw off the challenge of Gavin Cromwell’s 5/6 favourite Al Gasparo from the second-last hurdle to win by four lengths, the pair all of 20 lengths clear of Ciaran Murphy’s Sloan Sq.
Kennedy secured another valuable winner in the jockeys’ championship title bid as he partnered the Paul Power-trained Morepowertoya to take the two-mile handicap hurdle at Tipperary on Tuesday. A 13/2 chance in the colours of the Going Global Syndicate, the six-year-old led at the penultimate hurdle and was clear over the last as he beat the Denise O’Shea-trained 5/2 favourite Tingarran Express by five-lengths, a 600th career success for the Dingle jockey.
A win for the Philip Reynolds-owned 9/4 joint-favourite Valsorpresa in the opening two-mile two-furlong maiden hurdle at Downpatrick on Friday evening meant that Kennedy headed into the Punchestown festival with a seven-winner lead over Paul Townend in the jockeys’ championship race. Gordon Elliott’s charge beat Peter Fahey’s Gone For Tea, the other joint-favourite, by four and three-parts of a length. Elliott went on to win the Randox Ulster National with the Carl Millar-ridden Jumping Jet. Kennedy was only fifth on the winner’s stable companion Frontal Assault and he was also out of luck on his five other rides at the fixture.
Other Racing News
Set to be crowned Irish champion jumps trainer for the 18th time when the season closes at Punchestown on Saturday, Willie Mullins became the first Irish-based trainer to win the British title in 70 years at Sandown on Saturday. The late Vincent O'Brien won back-to-back British title’s in the 1952/53 and 1953/54 seasons, a feat Mullins is now keen to replicate. Wins for I Am Maximus in the Aintree Grand National and for Macdermott in the Scottish Grand National put Mullins in pole position to make further racing history and his championship success, based on prizemoney as it is in Ireland, was secured as El Fabiolo finished second to the JP McManus-owned Jonbon in the Grade 1 Celebration Chase on the final day of the British season. Mullins didn’t leave the meeting empty handed and he landed his latest big handicap chase win with the Danny Mullins-ridden Minella Cocooner in the valuable bet365 Gold Cup while Impaire Et Passe, ridden by Paul Townend, took the Grade 2 Select Hurdle to cap a terrific season.
Upcoming Fixtures
Punchestown – Tuesday, April 30 (First Race 2.30pm)
Punchestown – Wednesday, May 1 (First Race 2.30pm)
Punchestown – Thursday, May 2 (First Race 3.40pm)
Punchestown – Friday, May 3 (First Race 3.40pm)
Punchestown – Saturday, May 4 (First Race 2.30pm)
Sligo – Sunday, May 5 (First Race 1.40pm)
