The Walsh family added to their Martell Grand National triumph with Papillon by completing a history making double in the Irish version last Monday with Commanche Court.
The victory of the former Triumph Hurdle winner was a ground-breaking success on a number of fronts. Ted and Ruby Walsh became the first father and son team to capture both great races in the one season.
The 7yo was the first horse in modern times to break his maiden over fences in the Powers sponsored event. The achievement was all the more remarkable as he had just four previous outings over the large obstacles, and was having his first run in handicap company.
The Walsh stable is basically a family run operation, and these latest two wins were on the back of an Ericsson Chase victory for Rince Ri - a leading fancy for the Heineken Gold Cup at the upcoming Punchestown Festival. The success of the Kill yard this term is at the heart of the charm which National Hunt racing holds.
The Fairyhouse Eastermeeting broke new ground by starting a day earlier on Easter Sunday, and the three day Festival proveda big success. The crowd on Grand National day was 23,500, while a new Tote course record was also set. The attendance on Monday included President Mary McAleese and An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern.
The feature event on Tuesday - the Powers Handicap Hurdle - went to Killultagh Storm (3lb out of the handicap) under a well-timed ride from David Casey, who also put up 1lb overweight.
However the main talking point here was the absence of topweight Mantles Prince. Winning trainer Willie Mullins was very critical of the present system which did not allow the weights to rise. The current rule, which only applies to valuable handicaps, states the weights will only rise if the gap from the topweight to the next highest rated horse is more than 10lbs. Mantles Prince was exactly 10lb clear of the next horse in the handicap.
Mantles Prince made a miraculous recovery from the colic which prevented him running at Fairyhouse as he turned out five days later on the Flat at Navan. He was well--backed (2/1 to 6/4 fav), and won in tremendous style.
Mullins, who is chairman of the Trainers Association, said there is a consensus among his colleagues to have the weights raised in all handicaps where the topweight is a non-runner in order to have the lightweights running off their correct mark.
Casey`s timing was not so good later in the week resulting in Oliver Sherwood ending his
association with the Waterford rider. Casey reportedly failed to arrive on time at the yard on a number of occasions, and Sherwood`s patience was pushed too far. Casey undoubtedly has the talent to make it to the top of his profession, and lets hope he can overcome this setback.
The Turf Club was the subject of a stinging attack at the weekend from Coolmore supremo John Magnier. In a hard-hitting speech to the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association (ITBA) he predicted that `a handfulof amateurs` will jeopardise the livelihoods of those within the raciing industry.
Magnier, who was accepting a Hall Of Fame award at the ITBA annual dinner on Sunday (Apr 30), warned that unless the Turf Club embrace the proposed merger with the IHA, the future looks bleak.
Magnier referred to the proposal as an extraordinary lifeline for the industry saying: 'There is a very small minority refusing to co-exist with the Government, and never before have the decisions of so very few amateurs affected so many professionals.'
My colleague Eddie Byrne has recently embarked on a new venture as agent for former champion John Murtagh, and the new partnership was cemented by the victory of Jay And-A at Navan (April 30).
Eddie is renouned as a great student of form, and is rarely parted from the `Bible`. It should prove profitable to follow his bookings for Murtagh in handicaps this season, as Eddie will burn the midnight oil in search of the best mounts.
The ending of the National Hunt season has been the subject of much debate in recent years, and I will now throw my opinion into the ring.
The Whitbread meeting at Sandown last Saturday proved a fitting end to the campaign in Britain. Tony McCoy was presented with his well-earned trophy in front of many adoring fans. Why O Why can we not end the season on a high at Punchestown, and not at some insignificant meeting in a months time?
The upcoming Festival is one of the highlights of the season, and settles many arguments in championship races. Surely it would prove a fitting venue to make presentions to the new champion owner, trainer and jockey!
This year the situation is made even more comical with the late date for Punchestown. The 1st of May marks the start of the season for qualification in novice races. This means that a horse who breaks their maiden at Punchestown this week could still return to the Co Kildare track the following year to run in the same novice race. A double Champion Novice??
The Punchestown Festival has been extended to five days this year to facilitate a recent Ballinrobe meeting which was rained off.
