Vital Island and Benny Walsh (green cap, right)© Photo Healy Racing
Old pro Vital Island (3/1) landed a first Mongey Communications La Touche today, battling gamely to win the marathon 4m2f contest and provide jockey Benny Walsh with a 'full set' of Punchestown festival banks' winners.
The winner of six point-to-point Open Banks' races, Vital Island was running for the 15th time at Punchestown, was contesting his third La Touche and had finished second in Tuesday's Ladies Cup, a race he won last year.
Regular rider Walsh held the Richard O'Keeffe-owned-and-trained gelding in mid-field before gradually improving him to lead at the second-last, eventually scoring an all-out neck win from Stealthy Tom
Jockey Walsh said “he’s class over these. He didn’t jump as slick on Tuesday as he did today and I’d say it did him good having the run before today.
“My lad galloped all the way to line and the minute he heard the other lad (Stealthy Tom) coming he went on again. That’s the full set of wins in all Punchestown's banks races now - I’ve won the other two and this (the La Touche) is the main one - it means everything to us.”
Co Wexford based trainer O'Keeffe reported “he stays going and we knew coming into it that the trip would suit him down to the ground.
Everything went right today.”
Quotes from Alan Magee
