Colreevy© Photo Healy Racing
Punchestown's Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Champion Novice Chase today looked a match between Monkfish and Envoi Allen but was instead won by recently covered mare Colreevy having her final race, and whom completed a five-timer on the day for her trainer Willie Mullins.
Monkfish, the 10/11 favourite, won Cheltenham's Brown Advisory Chase on his previous start but failed to match Colreevy's gallop and finished eight lengths second.
Envoi Allen's effort was too bad to be true as the seven year old, an early faller at Cheltenham, failed to fire and was pulled up approaching the second last, with something possibly amiss.
Colreevy, on the other hand, had won Cheltenham's Paddy Power Mares Chase in March, was supported (9s — 7/1) and did most things right when making virtually all for jockey Danny Mullins.
Recently covered by stallion Walk In The Park, Colreevy was having her final race and Mullins reported “the Flynns (owners) are committed breeders and will have as much fun watching her in the paddocks with her foals in the coming years as they would racing.”
He added “on ratings she was the best treated today and I think obviously Envoi Allen is not right and Monkfish probably didn't run his true race and she did.
“She ran a true race and probably even ran a better race than at Cheltenham.
“It was a nice send off for her and fabulous for the Flynns and fabulous for Danny as well.”
The win was trainer Mullins' fifth, and supplied five different jockeys with winners. Today's other winners were Echoes In Rain under son Patrick Mullins, Jazzaway for Conor McNamara, Chacun Pour Soi for returning-from-injury Paul Townend and Adamantly Approach, under Jody Townend.
Quotes from Gary Carson
