IN what will go down as one of the performances of the season, the 15-year-old Ballyboker Bridge and Tiernan Power Roche emerged victorious in the Mongey Communications La Touche Cup Cross Country Handicap Chase after which it was announced that the winner would head for a well-deserved retirement.

Trained by one of the cross-country kingpins in Pater Maher, Ballyboker Bridge has now run 15 times over Punchestown’s unique banks course with his first appearance yielding a victory in February 2015.

This was a sixth La Touche appearance and his second win in the race following his victory in 2019 and he displayed an enthusiasm and zeal for the task at hand which would have befitted a horse half his age.

Negotiated

At all stages of the race the James McKeon-owned Ballyboker Bridge (14/1) looked most assured as he deftly negotiated this course and he maintained a good lead from before two out to defeat last year’s winner Singing Banjo by two and a half lengths. For the winning rider this was a fourth success on the track.

“Hopefully I get another one that’s as good as him. He’s not the best horse, he’s not a Big Shu but wears his heart on his sleeve.

“He’s been a horse of a lifetime, a great horse,” said a delighted Peter Maher.

PHILIP Dempsey and his son Luke got amongst the winners when the useful Broomfield Hall (10/1) bagged the 88-123 rated Specialist Joinery Group Handicap Hurdle over two miles.

As she looked to build on a maiden hurdle victory at Naas last month, the Ray Fitzgerald-owned seven-year-old turned for home in company with the English raider Gin Coco at the head of the field.

At this point it seemed as though the latter held the upper hand but a game Broomfield Hall answered her rider’s every call and battled on well to score by a length.

“It was her first handicap but she had plenty of experience and I thought she would run well,” reflected the trainer. “We’re looking forward to going chasing next season and my initial reaction would be to give her a break.”

THE day concluded with a reversal for odd-on punters as James’s Gate (4/9) could only manage fourth in the J P & M Doyle Celebrating 70 Years In Business (C&G) Flat Race where Tag Man (25/1) sprang a 25/1 surprise for David Roche and Henry de Bromhead.

Very few of the runners got into this race as a group of three broke away from the main field early on and two of those, Tag Man and Sir Argus, never came back.

Tag Man took over from Sir Argus around a furlong from home to score by two and a quarter lengths. The Roger Brookhouse-owned gelding had shown plenty of promise on his two previous outings this term, but this was a career best from him by some distance and he looks a fine hurdling prospect for next term.

“I’m really delighted for Roger who hasn’t been racing for a couple of years but he’s here today and the horse got a great ride from David who is such a big part of our team. We’ll look forward to going jumping with this horse next season,” stated the trainer.

Great View

Four years after his last success, which came in this race, A Great View showed that all his old ability still burns brightly as he bested a highly competitive field in the Grade B Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle over three miles.

Trained by Denis Cullen and owned by J.P. McManus, the 11-year-old was ridden by Mark Walsh as was the case in 2018.

Even though he hadn’t won for some time this gelding had posted a series of cracking efforts in quality handicaps throughout the season and he deservedly got his turn. He pounced at the last for Mark Walsh and went on to defeat the improving Bugs Moran by a couple of lengths.

“He got a great ride from Mark. He’s a wonderful horse and it was great to see him do that. Ideally he does want a bit of a cut in the ground but maybe we might look at some of the summer festivals for him,” reported Denis Cullen.

Cracking Lilith

Anthony Honeyball, who got amongst the winners at last year’s meeting, sent out the first English-trained winner of the week when Lilith and Rex Dingle secured the Close Brothers Irish EBF Mares Handicap Chase.

Not too many of the runners were able to get involved in a race run at a scorching pace and the fences took their toll but Lilith (8/1) was more than equal to the task at hand.

She found herself in front with three to jump and kept on bravely to defeat Western Zara by five lengths. The seven-year-old daughter of Stowaway was adding this race to her triumph at Newbury early last month.

“We felt the ground might be a bit quick for her but they do such a good job watering and it was definitely on the easy side.

“The gallop they went up front, she could have all fallen in a heap but she ran a cracker,” reported the trainer who has his eye on a £35,000 pot at Hereford in December.

Attendance

2022: 21,357

2021: 20,756