Happy Wife, happy life for Cromwell in Punchestown bumper

Trainer Gavin Cromwell added to a success at Cork earlier in the afternoon when The Passing Wife landed the concluding Irish Daily Mirror(Pro/Am) INH Flat Race at Punchestown.

A point-to-point winner at Ballynoe in March, the four-year-old gelding had shown definite signs of ability when fourth in a maiden hurdle at Cork on his rules debut last month.

Pressing leader and 5-6f Prends Garde A Toi over two furlongs out, the Declan Lavery partnered gelding soon led before keeping on strongly inside the final furlong to hold the renewed effort of the latter by half-a-length.

Gavin Cromwell said: “He’s a horse that never really showed us a whole pile at home. We ran him in a maiden hurdle in Cork and he ran a lovely race so I said we’d give him a go in a bumper.

“I thought he’d run a nice race today and be placed so I’m delighted with that.

“Decie probably got there a tad too soon but he put his head down and wanted to win in fairness to him.

“He’s not an over big horse and as I said hasn’t shown too much at home but once they show it on the track that’s what you want.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee.