Mullins cleans up at Punchestown

Day one of the Punchestown Festival may have belonged to Gordon Elliott with four winners. Willie Mullins didn't fare too badly either with three victories but Ireland's champion trainer ruled the roost on the second day with a trio of Grade 1 victories, plus Royal Rendezvous won the handicap chase. All three, namely The Nice Guy, Allaho and Facile Vega, followed up their wins at the Cheltenham Festival. Allaho produced a brilliant display to win the Punchestown Gold Cup by four lengths. Last year's victor Clan Des Obeaux ran a blinder in second but couldn't match the Cheveley Park Stud owned winner. It will be interesting to see if the dual Cheltenham winner is aimed at the King George at Kempton, although his connections seem to believe he is a better horse when racing left-handed. 

One of the most telling things which has emerged over the first couple of days is the stable form of Henry De Bromhead. Admittedly, Life In The Park won the big field handicap hurdle which kicked off the card on Wednesday but some of the yard's 'stars' have run well below par. Bob Olinger pulled up on Tuesday, Journey With Me cut out quickly when coming under pressure, while Minella Indo barely raised a gallop and was in trouble along way from home. The form figures of their runners on Tuesday and Wednesday are 567B34P1497P7. With seven Grade 1 wins, including the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup, and 95 domestic winners, it has hardly been a poor campaign for De Bromhead but the stable's runners have been inconsistent throughout the campaign.