Capodanno and Mark Walsh jump the last© Photo Healy Racing
Champion Trainer Willie Mullins hopes to have a 'Gold Cup horse on our hands' with Capodanno as the J.P. McManus owned gelding landed Punchestown's Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Champion Novice Chase today.
Fortunate Cheltenham festival winner Bob Olinger started 6/5 favourite for the race but having jumped right at the first fence, faded tamely from four out and was soon pulled up.
Capodanno, under Mark Walsh, raced with the pace throughout the three miles contest and eventually scored easily by six and a half lengths from Lifetime Ambition
Afterwards Mullins said “I felt coming out of Cheltenham we didn't do the right thing. Having a chat with Mark today, he was thinking the same way as I was and he wanted to be positive and that suited me. We always thought that he stayed, it was just about the right way to ride him.
“Jessie's horse (Harrington, Lifetime Ambition) took us along and when he didn't jump the fence down the back great, our fella went past and winged it. Mark got a little breather after the fourth last and he was very happy with him.
“In the bigger races we hadn't been bold enough and today was the day just to be bold and see what happens.
“It worked out and hopefully we might have a Gold Cup horse on our hands. He gallops and jumps and usually the Gold Cup is on good ground, that'll do us.
“He does everything right but he looks to just gallop and jump and when you stop him doing that you're not making maximum use of him.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
