Jim Will Fix It (nearside) beat Way Up In The Air at Punchestown© Photo Healy Racing
Bar the handicap it's been a day for the layers at Punchestown thus far and Seamus Roche and Paul Townend's victory with Jim Will Fix It in the Book New Years Eve Panoramic Restaurant Beginners Chase at 9/1 will have evaded most punters too.
Outsider Carpet Elegance had every chance when coming a cropper at the third last and that spill did odds-on favourite Too Scoops no favours.
Himself and second market-choice, Elegant Statesman (also trained by Henry de Bromhead) couldn't raise their efforts from two out.
Meanwhile Way Up In The Air wasn't quite as quick as Jim Will Fix It over the last and that proved crucial at the line as the latter held the call by a head.
Roche explained: "He's been threatening that for a while but he's been wrong all along. All credit must go to Kitty Shanahan who has done a lot of work on him – he's had a lot of muscle problems.
"Hopefully he'll stay right now. I thought he might be placed today and then go on and win his beginners.
"He should improve a lot from that."
A.E. Lynch, rider of Too Scoops trained by Henry de Bromhead, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount never travelled during this race.
N.P. Madden, rider of Be Positive trained by E. Bolger, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount ran keen early on and failed to get home.
The Stewards interviewed David Roche authorised representative of Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Too Scoops and Elegant Statesman regarding the late arrival of their horses into the parade ring which led to the late start of this race.
David Roche stated that the trainer was not present at todays meeting and the saddling duties were delegated to Eddie Ryan and himself. He added that both riders rode in the previous race and were slow to weigh out. He also stated that both horses had to be fitted with tongue straps but felt overall that the horses were saddled as quickly as possible.
Having considered the evidence, the Stewards were satisfied that Henry de Bromhead was in breach of rule 32(ii) by failing to have his horses in the parade ring a reasonable time before the signal to mount was given and therefore fined the trainer €250 through his authorised representative David Roche. Furthermore they advised him that in similar circumstances there should be an extra member of staff available to avoid causing any unnecessary delay.
(AM & EM)
