Singing Banjo (nearest)© Photo Healy Racing
Today's KHC Fr Sean Breen Memorial Ladies Cup at Punchestown was one of the most eventful banks races in recent years and was won by Singing Banjo which credited trainer Philip Rothwell with a double on the day.
Today's cross-country course became slippery as light rain fell on fast ground, with two horses slipping-up and another unseating jockey on bends. Youcannotbeserious the 5/6 favourite, was disputing the lead when slipping on landing at an obstacle a mile from home and, having dropped to fourth, then crashed out at Ruby's Double.
On the run-in, 11 year old Singing Banjo out-battled runner-up Vital Island for a length and a quarter win.
Rothwell leads the resistance to Willie Mullins as Punchestown's Leading Trainer but trails 5-2, and later quipped “today is wonderful but I don't think I'll be vying for champion trainer at the end of the week! I might not even have another runner.
“I very much enjoy this and you'd think there was a crowd around me with the roars up in the stands. I absolutely love it and that's why I'm doing it.”
The Cheltenham festival winning trainer, whose Cousin Harry won the opener, deflected credit for his second winner and reported “that's absolutely magic. It's great for the Walsh family and this has very little to do with me. He comes over a few weeks before he runs and we ran him in a couple of hunter chases to have him ready for today.
“It's a huge family thing for the Walshs and it's all about them more so than me.
“Barry's (winning jockey) brother Aaron rode a couple for me around the banks here and we were second a couple of times.”
“We've had a couple of winners over the cross-country course but have also been second to a pile of Enda's (Bolger) as well.
“It's been a magic three of four months but I had one or two tough years as well so this is great.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
