THOSE of us who thought Cheltenham Bumper winner Bambino Fever was a Tipperary horse were put right when former Clare hurler Anthony Daly posted a photo of himself with winning connections outside his pub in Kilmurry McMahon last weekend. He captioned it: “Cheltenham Bumper winner is home.”

One of the mare’s joint owners is Willie Morgan, chairman of Fethard GAA, but fellow owner Declan O’Connell is from the Banner County. Declan filled us in: “I worked in Anthony’s pub for five years and we had a big night there last weekend. Anthony gave a great speech and was admiring the trophy which has the names of all the previous winners inscribed on it - he remembered backing a few of them!”

Asked about the Tipperary connection, Declan explained: “My wife Corrina and Willie’s wife Aoife were best friends in school and that’s how we met. It’s a Tipp-Clare syndicate.”

Reflecting on the past few months, Declan added: “It’s been amazing. Before her first race at Punchestown Willie Mullins told us not to expect too much. She does nothing at home. But when she won the Grade 2 at Leopardstown Willie said she was definitely the best bumper mare in Ireland. I must mention Nicky Stokes in Fethard who pre-trained her for a year and always believed in the mare. Even after Leopardstown, Nicky said we were only scratching the surface with her.”

Declan, who runs a civil engineering company in London, also reported that the filly came out of Cheltenham well and is being aimed at Punchestown.

Since 2017 Fayonagh, Facile Vega and A Dream To Share have completed the Cheltenham-Punchestown Champion Bumper double in the past five years.