On the opening day of the Punchestown Festival, Marine Nationale defeated Fact To File to claim the thrilling Champion Chase.
Fact To File was the 11-10 favorite after winning the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham last month, but the early pace was a challenge.
El Fabiolo provided Marine Nationale with the greatest challenge despite the two Cheltenham winners’ hysterical rivalry, only to fall at the fence’s end.
In the end, Sean Flanagan defeated Captain Guinness (28-1) by seven lengths under the direction of Rachael Blackmore, who is the 2-1 second favorite.
successes for Mullins in grade One
In the day’s other Grade One competitions, trainer Willie Mullins recorded two shock victories.
Irancy headed up a one-two-three-four for Mullins in the Champion Novice Hurdle on 18-1 shot.
Kopek Des Bordes, a Cheltenham champion, finished fourth, nine lengths ahead of stablemates Salvator Mundi and Karbau, who had been the heavy favorite.
Irancy has always been a good horse, but after winning here earlier in the season, he faced a setback, Mullins said, “The best thing that could have happened was that he came here fresh.”
After Cheltenham, I gave Kopek Des Bordes a nice break, thinking that I should have taken him somewhere like Ayr or Perth.
I believed that when I saw him in the parade ring, his condition was too great, and it showed at the current pace.
After training five of the eight runners, Mullins also had a one-two in the Champion Novice Chase.
At the final fence, Champ Kiely (21) took the lead before winning by six and a half lengths from Ballyburn, the 11-8 favorite.
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Source: BBC
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