A treble for jockey Darragh O’Keeffe, Doneraile, on Day Three was among the highlights of another successful Punchestown Festival.
Owned by Brian Acheson and trained by Henry de Bromhead, O’Keeffe’s smooth ride on Bob Olinger (4/1) to land the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Champion Stayers’ Hurdle was particularly sweet to witness for the 20,000 attendees.
It was the final race for 11-year-old Bob.
“He’s a superstar of a horse,” O’Keeffe declared. “He does it all so easy and travels really well. It’s great to be riding a horse like him. He’s been staying really well this year, so I was kind of just delaying my challenge, but at the same time just stoking him away up, you know?
“But I could hear the commentator saying that Paul (Townend) was kind of coming as well (on Jimmy Du Seuil). So I sort of had to let him go before the last but it’s absolutely brilliant.”
O’Keeffe also won with Adrinne (15/2) for trainer Ted Walsh and Busselton (7/2) for Enda Bolger, Bruree.
For Bolger, it represented an astonishing 15th success in the La Touche Cup.
Bolger famously won seven times with Risk of Thunder, owned by the late actor Sean Connery, a star of many a Bond film.
On this occasion, the victor wore the colours of the Friendship Syndicate.
“I’m delighted to ride a winner for Enda. He was massive in my career. I started out for him, so I’m delighted to win it for him,” O’Keeffe said.
O’Keeffe, on 99 wins and overall prize money of €2 million, finished runner-up (to Jack Kennedy) in the Champion Jockey Table.
Courtesy of Funiculi Funicula (7/2) – trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend – there was a great win for Newcastle West friends Michael O’Riordan and Séamus Hennessy of the valuable Novice Handicap Steeplechase.
“Hopefully, it’s onwards and upwards. He could possibly be a Galway Plate horse,” commented assistant trainer David Casey.
‘Funicula was led into the winners’ enclosure by the elegantly dressed Mary O’Riordan, wife of joint owner Michael.
At the conclusion of the National Hunt season at the weekend, JP McManus, Martinstown, was crowned Champion Owner for the sixth year on the trot and for a staggering 23rd time in all.
McManus first won the accolade way back in 1996.