Review punchestown 21st Apr

Planet Of Sound took the step up to beyond three miles in his stride by claiming some big scalps in the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup.

Philip Hobbs' 14-1 chance had flopped in the Ryanair Chase, but was the subject of some support here and took up the running shortly before making a mistake down the back straight.

He was always to the fore after that, though, and saw off War Of Attrition who ran a blinder on his swansong for second. Cooldine was third, while Denman had to settle for fourth, having jumped out to his left throughout the Grade One contest.< Hidden Universe (5-1) also left behind an ordinary Cheltenham effort in the Paddy Power Champion INH Flat Race.

Dermot Weld's four-year-old made no impact at Prestbury Park, but got his confidence back at Limerick subsequently and showed smart acceleration to register a two-length verdict.

Willie Mullins picked up where he left off on day one of the Festival and initiated a double when Sivota (7-2 favourite) took the Martinstown Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle in the hands of the trainer's nephew Emmet.

The brace was completed by 8-1 shot Polmar who looked beaten when headed by Hairy Molly in the valuable Irish Daily Mirror Handicap Chase, but fought valiantly under David Casey and got back up in the final 100 yards.

Jessie Harrington got on the scoresheet for this year's meeting when Gimli's Rock proved too strong under Tom Treacy in the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle, while Rigour Back Bob (6-1) regained the winning thread with a commanding performance in the Grade Three Madra Irish Dog Food Novice Hurdle.

Barry Geraghty, replacing Andrew McNamara who had a fall on Tuesday, sent Edward O'Grady's charge to the front on the turn for home and he relished this stiffer test of stamina to see off Arabella Boy by seven lengths.