Capodanno and Jody McGarvey jump the last © Photo Healy Racing
Leading owner J.P. McManus registered his 100th Punchestown Festival winner today with the Willie Mullins trained Capodanno which routed 24 rivals in the Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle.
Ridden by Jody McGarvey, the 132 rated French-bred five year old skipped clear for the effortless 12 lengths success, with the performance screaming 'Graded-horse running in a handicap'.
Champion Trainer Willie Mullins was bagging his 10th winner of the week and afterwards his son and assistant Patrick Mullins confirmed “I can't say I'm surprised as he's a very high class horse and it just went wrong for him over two miles.
“He hadn't run in a long time but was ready to run at Christmas when he got a small setback and then it was too late to go chasing.
“Eilish Byrne deserves huge credit, she rides him out all the time and puts a lot of time and effort into him because he's not simple.
“Eilish said to me that he'd settle once he's going, he had a hood on and we went a strong gallop. I wasn't worrying about him settling, I was just worried about him messing up at the start and the false start wasn't ideal but he handled it alright.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
