Unoccupied gallops them into submission

Ulster National form was once again to the fore as Unoccupied outstayed his rivals to win the three mile six handicap chase in Punchestown.

Unoccupied had passed the post first in the Ulster epic in March, however, he was demoted to second by the stewards for causing interference to Hidden Horizons. Pineau De Re who won this year’s Aintree Grand National notably won the Ulster version last year.

For today’s task Phillip Enright, riding at a weight of 9-12, sent the eight-year-old gelding into the lead from flagfall. The son of Old Vic clearly relishes a trip and upon approaching the last increased the margin to the chasers. At the line Hunting Party (12/1) and 11/2 favourite Storm Survivor closed into second and third. Backers of grey horse Raajih got their place dividend as he grabbed fourth in this 19-runner contest.

“He deserved that. He was second in the north and second in the Cork National. It [the Ulster National stewards enquiry] could have gone either way. Whoever lost out was going to feel hard done by,” trainer Eoghan O’Grady said of the 14/1 chance.

“He jumps and stays. We’ll leave him off now and try to win the Cork National next year. It was a super ride by Phillip, he knows him well.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee