Ifiwerearichman (11/2) provided his owners with a poignant success at Punchestown today, as the Paul Nolan-trained gelding landed the opening Punchestown Christmas Gifts Rated Novice Chase under jockey Sean O’Keeffe.

Held up in rear, the son of Affinisea made headway in the final half-mile, took the lead at the last and finished well to beat Jasko De Dames by 6.5 lengths.

James Nolan, representing his brother Paul, later reported “a member of the (Capital Racing) syndicate Phil Byrne — who had owned Feetofadancer, died suddenly not so long ago and he was a great friend of ours. It will be an emotional win for all the lads involved today as Phil organised the syndicate and got all those lads together.

“I hope it gives Cathy and the kids a lift, that's the most important part of it.”

Regarding Ifiwerearichman, he added “he's not the biggest horse in the world and I was a little bit worried about the bigger fences today but Sean said he was deadly. We started him off in Wexford, which was his first run in a long time after a tendon injury, and he ran well.

“He was always too keen in his younger days and maybe not getting home as well, but now he's the opposite. He settled really well and he didn't really pick it up until he turned in and found loads. He has a right good pedigree and is a half-brother to a Grade 1 horse (Fiddlerontheroof).

“Hopefully he's okay after it and we've no real plan.”

Quotes from Gary Carson