Rousing finish to day 2 at Punchestown

He'll have to relinquish his point-to-point title to Derek O'Connor, after the big suspension he incurred at Cheltenham, but Jamie Codd was again the toast of punters when getting well-backed favourite Champers On Ice home in the concluding Old House, Kill INH Flat Race at Punchestown.

Again, unfortunately for Codd, he didn't escape censure from the stewards, picking up a two day whip ban, but that'll have mattered little to those that made the expensive point-to-point graduate a 9/4 chance for his racecourse and David Pipe stable debut.

Finny Maguire came to beat the Fabian Burke-trained Pigeons winner, aboard Dermot Weld's First Figaro but Codd (won the Goffs Land Rover Bumper yesterday on Petit Mouchoir) was having none of it and he lifted Champers On Ice home by a head.

In a really good sign for Champers On Ice and First Figaro, they left the third home, Articulum all of twenty eight lengths back.

David Pipe said: "He's a nice horse that was bought at the Cheltenham Festival Sale. He won his point-to-point and it's nice to see him transfer that ability to the track. He's showed us at home that he's a good horse, and he's a horse for the future.

"The ground dried up in England so we decided to come over here and the owners like to come for the great Irish hospitality! He'll be put away now and go hurdling next season."

The Stewards fined Eoin Griffin, trainer, 350 Euros for lodging a passport in respect of Rocklander in which the vaccinations did not conform with the provisions of Rule 91. The Stewards allowed the horse to run on receipt of the trainer's written assurance that the vaccinations were in order.

The Stewards interviewed Mr J.J. Codd, rider of Champers On Ice, concerning his use of the whip in this race. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence the Stewards were of the opinion that the rider was in breach of Regulation 10.3(f) and 10.4, in that he used the whip with excessive frequency and without giving his mount time to respond and having considered his record, suspended him for two race days .

(AM & EM)