Notre Pere wins feature for Dreaper

The Jim Dreaper trained Notre Pere justified favouritism when winning the feature race of the day, The Punchestown Guiness Gold Cup Grade 1 by an impressive 13 lengths under Andrew Lynch for owner Mrs P J Conway.

The Kadalko gelding put in superb display of jumping making ground at all of his fences. Lynch was always prominent, led from 5 out and stayed on well and was clear from 3 out.

Winning trainer Dreaper said afterwards, "He stays very well. In an ideal world he would have a very good chance in a heavy ground Gold Cup, he's just not quick enough for the likes of Kauto Star and Denman on faster ground. The vet after Chepstow found a 4mm piece of wood under his skin and it flared up on January 15th and March 1st and it needs to be removed soon, it's like a thorn in your foot. It will be removed on Monday or Tuesday. It's been 15 years since I won this race, I won in 1994 with Merry Gale."

William Hill have quoted Notre Pere 10/1 from 33/1 for the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup.