LEOPARDSTOWN

JANUARY 24TH

FAUGHEEN – BHP INSURANCE IRISH CHAMPION HURDLE (GRADE 1)

INJURY prevented Faugheen from defending his Champion Hurdle crown in March and he was restricted to just three outings last term. However, a truncated campaign did see the dual Cheltenham hero produce nothing short of a wondrous effort in the Irish Champion Hurdle last January. Following a shock defeat on his return to action, the Willie Mullins inmate then made short work of his rivals in Kempton’s Christmas Hurdle. However, Leopardstown looked an altogether more exacting test as recent conqueror Nichols Canyon was lying in wait and so too was the previous season’s Champion Hurdle second Arctic Fire. The result was nothing short of a total annihilation as Faugheen produced perhaps the finest effort of his career in making all the running and coming home some 15 lengths ahead of Arctic Fire.

FAIRYHOUSE

MARCH 27TH

JER’S GIRL – IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF MARES NOVICE HURDLE CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL (GRADE 1)

Gavin Cromwell’s prowess as a trainer had been well established before 2016 but he achieved an altogether wider level of recognition through the exploits of the admirable Jer’s Girl last spring.

This thoroughly likeable daughter of Jeremy had established herself as a quality juvenile through the winter before connections took some brave decisions in the spring.

The first was to eschew a trip a Cheltenham and the second was to let her take on older opposition over two and a half miles in this Grade 1 contest.

On her first start in the J.P. McManus colours Jer’s Girl overpowered her rivals to win by 13 lengths and give Cromwell a never to be forgotten first success at the highest level. A month later she took on and beat the geldings in another Grade 1 Punchestown.

PUNCHESTOWN

APRIL 26TH

ZABANA – GROWISE CHAMPION NOVICE CHASE (GRADE 1)

Through the second half of the season it was especially encouraging to see a number of the country’s smaller yards make a major impact at a high level. Foremost among these was trainer Andy Lynch whose five strong stable struck Grade 1 gold at the Punchestown Festival courtesy of Zabana and if ever a horse deserved to land a major prize it was this gelding.

In March 2015 he was only just denied in the Coral Cup and a year later, when he was a leading fancy for the JLT Novices Chase, his race was over when the tapes went up owing to a start that was nothing short of shambolic. At Punchestown there was to be no heartbreak or drama as the seven-year-old turned in a thoroughly willing and resilient display to defeat Outlander.

This success represented a thoroughly well deserved day in the sun for all concerned.