Review PUNCHESTOWN 25TH APR

From five out the Guinness Gold Cup only concerned three of the ten participants, pace-setter, Kingscliff, his fellow British-raider, Neptune Collonges and 6/4 favourite, In Compliance.

Neptune Collonges led before the next, and it was soon apparent that the grey 8/1 shot was going to be hard to beat. Ruby Walsh's mount stayed on powerfully to beat Kingscliff by 3 1/2L.

A mere 6yo, the French-bred had run creditably in the Cheltenham equivalent on March 16th, a 50/1 outsider when finishing 13L 8th of 18 behind his stable companion, Kauto Star.

Winning trainer Paul Nicholls was not without hope beforehand, he said, 'he has some good form, he ran o.k. in the Gold Cup and the more galloping track here suited him.

'I told Ruby to make sure there was a good gallop because he would keep going. Ruby said that he knew going to the start that the horse would love the ground.

'Punchestown has been good for us with Sporazene and Le Roi Miguel winning here.' For owner John Hales (had the brilliant One Man), this represented success on his first venture to Ireland with a runner.

In the other Grade 1, the Paddy Power Champion bumper, Cork All Star lost his unbeaten record when only managing fifth as Mick The Man made it back-to-back wins in the race for Noel Meade and Nina Carberry.

Leading Run was the horse a year ago, this time it was Mick The Man, who ended a sequence of four second placings following a debut win at Navan last November.

Mick The Man beat off the Philip Fenton-trained pair of Woodbine Willie and Shirley Casper by two lengths and 1 1/4L.

Meade reflected on how close Nina Carberry came to riding stablemate, Azalea (she finished 17th), 'the mare (Azalea) was working very well and Nina was going to ride her.

'She asked me yesterday had the jockeys been finalised yet and when I said no she said she'd stick with Mick The Man. He is better on better ground and wants this really strong gallop.'

Grangeclare Lark is a mare that anyone would dream about owning and she added to Leopardstown Christmas and Fairyhouse Festival wins in the Grade 3 mares hurdle.

She has now triumphed on going ranging from heavy to good in her six race winning career. Amazingly she landed the first of those, a bumper at Fairyhouse, on October 21st last.

Dessie Hughes had made little secret of the fact that he thought this 11/4 chance was his best hope of a winner. He described the form of Friday's Champion Hurdle contender, Hardy Eustace as 'fabulous.'

Roger Loughran's mount had to concede upwards of 5Ibs all round by virtue of a previous Grade 3 win. The daughter of Old Vic beat 6/4 favourite, Shuil Aris (she also beat her at Fairyhouse) by 2 1/2L.

Phantom Lad may have taken ten efforts to get off the mark when trained on the level by Kevin Prendergast but he has the winning habit now as he gained his second success over flights in the opener.

Making most under Robbie Power for Jessica Harrington, the gelding, who was far from ignored in the betting (8s in the morning into a returned 13/2) made mistakes at the last two but still won by 1 3/4L.

Bobs Pride was a much higher achiever on the flat than Phantom Lad, indeed he captured the 2005 renewal of the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes.

He now looks like he might even surpass that level of performance over hurdles. A ten pound rise in the weights for a comfortable Fairyhouse success didn't hinder him repeating the dose in the 0 to 140 contest.

In the hands of Ruby Walsh (initiating a double), the 100/30 fav triumphed in equally emphatic style by 3L. Dermot Weld commented afterwards, 'I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him go to the top level.'

Tony Martin, trainer of Royal County Star, attributed his win in the h'cap chase to the prowess of rider, Robbie Colgan. This one got up close home to deny Carrigeen Kalmia by 3/4L.

Martin contemplated as he watched a re-run, 'that was some riding performance alright, he is excellent and never panicked. The horse is probably just a bit slow over this trip on that ground.'

Well-backed in the morning, Twostrongmen (stone bruise) missed the novice chase. This left the way clear for Pacolet to make it two from two over fences under Shay Barry for Pat Flynn.

Derek O'Connor, aboard Gonebeyondrecall yesterday, partnered the veteran Joe Blake to the biggest success of his career in the Champion Hunters Chase for Ian Ferguson.