IRISH RACING/News: The first of the two cross-country races at the Punchestown festival will go ahead tomorrow - but over a revised track.
The famous "Ruby's Double" bank was ruled out after an inspection yesterday but the Ladies Cup, the first race tomorrow, still got the go ahead. A further inspection for Thursday's La Touche Cup is likely to take place on Wednesday.
It was encouraging news for trainer Enda Bolger who confirmed his banks specialist Risk Of Thunder, owned by movie legend Sean Connery, is back on track to run on Thursday.
It had been announced on Friday that the two races would be run off over the normal steeplechase course if the cross-country had been found to be unraceable yesterday.
Bolger said: "There was no way Risk Of Thunder would have run if the race was run over the normal course." The Co Limerick-trainer walked the course on Saturday and found it raceable.
"If I thought it was bad I wouldn't run but I found it quite okay," Bolger said yesterday.
"They ran a point to point there three or four weeks ago and the ground hasn't healed up where it crosses the cross-country course."
There was relief at the controversy-dogged Co Kildare track yesterday that the cross-country opener can go ahead.
"The problem was rough ground due to the point to point and the weather which allowed no growth. Some patches were rough and bare," said the racing manager, Richie Galway. "It will be a slightly different layout. They will start closer to the stands and they won't jump Ruby's Double. Instead they will jump the old double bank twice. But the main thing is that we got the go ahead."
Last season's champion apprentice, Tadhg O'Shea, whose claim will be reduced from 5lb to 3lb this week, was seen to good effect aboard Exceptional Paddy as the Michael Halford-trained gelding justified strong support in the FBD Multiperil Race.
O'Shea's mount was backed from 8 to 1 to 5 to 1, and just got up in the final strides to deny favourite Tiger Royal by a head, with Scarlet Velvet three-quarters-of-a-length back in third. "He loves soft ground and a straight course, and will come back here for a Listed race over six furlongs on May 10th," said Halford, while Scarlet Velvet is likely to reoppose in that Cork contest.
John Oxx also has a Cork Listed race in mind for Miss Honorine, who showed tremendous improvement from her recent Tipperary debut to record an easy victory under John Murtagh in the EBF Fillies Maiden.
Aidan O'Brien believes Marino Marini may be Royal Ascot class, and the Storm Cat colt made a successful debut under Mick Kinane in the juvenile maiden.
Niall McCullagh partnered his first winner of the campaign when sending Cruiskeen Lawn clear at the furlong pole before holding off Mr Houdini by a-length-and-a-half in the FBD Handicap.
Ruby Walsh followed up his spectacular four-timer at Ayr on Saturday when successfully deputising for Paul Hourigan (stomach bug) on Native Performance in the FBD Insurance Handicap Chase. "He may run at Punchestown later this week, and the Galway Plate is the long-term plan," said trainer Michael Hourigan.
