Search
Cheltenham 2024
- Main Site
- Cheltenham Home
- Cheltenham Cards
- Cheltenham Results
- Cheltenham Offers
- Cheltenham Odds
- Cheltenham Tips
- Cheltenham News
- Prestbury Cup
- Cheltenham Videos
-
Cheltenham Statistics
- Leading Trainer
- Leading Jockeys
- Leading Owners
- Previous Years
- Previous Appearances
- Breeding Profile of Winners
- Lady Jockeys at The Festival
- Leading Jockey Award Winners
- Most Successful Jockeys of All Time
- Current Jockeys Competing at Cheltenham
- Most Successful Jockey In..
- Leading Trainer Award Winners
- Most Successfull Trainer All Time
- Current Trainers Competing at Cheltenham
- Most Successful Trainer In..
- Cheltenham Trainer/Runner Index
- Desktop Site
Cheltenham 2024
- Home
- News
Review punchestown 24th Apr
Sir Des Champs leads Long Run over the last
© Photo Healy Racing
< Sir Des Champs (2-1 favourite) confirmed his Cheltenham superiority over Long Run to win a thrilling renewal of the Bet Online With thetote.com Punchestown Gold Cup.
Second and third behind Bobs Worth last month, the two classy stayers dominated the finish here and it was Willie Mullins' star who emerged three quarters of a length to the good.
Long Run had led for much of the way, with Quito De La Roque tracking and Sir Des Champs not far behind, but Davy Russell seized the opportunity to kick a couple of lengths clear after Sir Des Champs jumped to the front three-out.
Long Run battled bravely all the way to the line and First Lieutenant produced another brilliant effort in third, but the winner had enough in the tank.
The step up to three miles brought about significant improvement in Morning Assembly (14-1), who took the Grade One Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle for Pat Fahy and Davy Condon.
Willie Mullins was well represented with Ballycasey and Inish Island but Morning Assembly beat the latter by three and a quarter lengths after taking it up before two-out.
Condon doubled up for the day on the Tom Mullins-trained Klepht (12-1), who won the valuable Guiness Handicap Steeplechase by two and a quarter lengths from Tranquil Sea
Barry Geraghty had to be at his very best to get Sabrina Harty's Dalasiri (6-1) home in front in the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle, while Jane Mangan guided David Pipe's raider The Liquidator (4-1) to victory in the Betdaq The Peoples Exchange Champion INH Flat Race.
The vastly experienced Beau Michael (25-1) claimed a seventh career success over timber in the Martinstown Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle.
Adrian McGuinness' versatile nine-year-old took it up before the turn in and found plenty for pressure under David Splaine to hold Hazariban by a neck.