IT was fitting that John McConnell signed off his best season yet on home soil with the joint-most lucrative win of his career when revitalised sensation Seddon proved impossible to catch from the front in the Grade B Fitzwilliam Sports Handicap Hurdle worth €100,000.

A little over nine months ago it looked as though the 10-year-old’s talents were very much in decline but he has transformed into a big-handicap specialist in recent times for the Galaxy Horse Racing Syndicate.

The 13/2 shot capitalised on a 14lb lower mark over hurdles to make it four wins on the bounce, having previously scored at Cheltenham in October, the Leopardstown Christmas Festival and Cheltenham Festival.

Ben Harvey appeared to judge things to a nicety on the front end, scoring by two and a quarter lengths from admirable 25/1 outsider The Very Man.

McConnell said: “He just loves galloping. People give out about horse racing and say it’s cruel and all that rubbish… He should be the poster boy for racing because he loves doing it. On top of that, he’s very good. What can I say? He’s been a horse of a lifetime for these owners and for myself. I don’t want it to end but it has to end at some stage.

“He is such an easy horse for me to do anything with. It made sense to come for the hurdle, even though it was strong, with his mark. Ben gave him a beautiful ride.”

On what could be next for the in-form veteran, McConnell said: “I’ve been banging on about the American Grand National since Leopardstown last Christmas. He’s rated 148 over fences now, and the two-mile-five-furlong trip on good ground should suit - why not?

“What do you do to top Cheltenham now? He’s probably not good enough to win graded races in this country. The American Grand National would be some trip and he’s paid for it anyway. We never expected him to take us to these places when we bought him [privately]. He’s good value now anyway.”

Brideswell delight

J.J. Slevin ended a richly fruitful Punchestown Festival on a high note when notching his fourth winner of the week on Brideswell Lad in the Grade B Palmerstown House Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase.

Riding with immense confidence, Slevin and the improving handicapper did well to survive an early mistake and came home strongest when it mattered in what turned into a real stamina test.

The 12/1 shot was trainer Seamus Neville’s first Punchestown Festival winner since Heart Midoltian struck at the meeting in 2003.

Neville said: “It’s lovely to get a winner here on the big stage. J.J. has now won four times on him. He won well at Tramore last time. This was a stiffer contest but he came through it despite making a few mistakes that gave us a worry. He recovered and stayed well.”

The other staying handicap chase on the card, the €50,000 Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase over three miles and seven furlongs, went to the Willie Mullins-trained Aione for Susannah Ricci.

Danny Mullins’ mount, sent off at 5/1, did enough to keep the staying-on Sir Bob at bay by a short-head.

The winning rider emerged with two winners, six seconds and two thirds from the meeting, while the winning owner recorded four winners, two seconds and three thirds from just 15 runners.

Dream result for Stone

Wexford amateur rider Barry Stone picked quite the occasion to have his first winner under rules when partnering 33/1 shot Subset to a game victory in the Donohue Solutions Cross Country Chase.

Trained by Peter Maher and owned by Denis Beary, the course regular went two places better than his Ladies Cup third earlier in the week, reversing the form of that clash with Three By Two, who ran creditably to finish third on the final day of the meeting.

Stone had previously ridden 25 winners between the flags, including four this season.

“I’d like to thank Peter and all of his team for letting me ride this horse - it’s brilliant to get a winner like him on the track,” said Stone.

“I got a great spin off him on Tuesday, and the plan was to track the leaders and keep it simple. I got a lovely run through on the inside turning in. Everything else seemed to get dragged out and I was happy where I was.”

Unicorn impresses

Amateur rider Steven Crawford recorded his first winner under rules in almost eight years when striking on promising newcomer Chasing Unicorn, trained by the rider’s brother Stuart for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

The winning jockey hadn’t ridden on the track since the 2016/17 season until returning on Easter Monday at Fairyhouse, with this 25/1 winner only his fourth ride after returning.

There was drama before halfway when even-money Sorrentino, trained by Willie Mullins, slipped up behind and unseated Jody Townend, but Chasing Unicorn was always out of trouble in a prominent position and scored by a length and three quarters from eyecatching second Intent Approach.

“He’s a smashing horse by Milan out of a Flemensfirth mare,” said the winning rider.

“He has lots of stamina and liked the [decent] ground but I think he’ll handle softer ground. I’ve said it all week, to win a bumper here you have to be a graded horse and I’m pretty sure he is. There is a wee bit left there too, he was idling a bit and just doing it too easy. He’s a proper horse for next year.”

Bell gets sweet tune

There was a popular local winner in the concluding Have The Conversation - Say Yes To Organ Donation Punchestown Charity Race as Kilcullen mechanic Paul Bell partnered Stuzzikini to victory with an assured ride for trainer Gordon Elliott.

A talented gaelic footballer who competed in the race 12 months earlier, Bell received a rousing reception after his four-length win at 4/1 in the colours of VCS Versatile Coating Specialist Ltd and Francis Foran.

Sinead Smullen came home well on Jungle Cove, trained by Jessica Harrington, for second and Triona Burbage claimed third on Diamondinthemud for Nigel Slevin.

Bell said: “I’ve never had a buzz like that in my life before. It’s unreal. About two yards from the line I realised that they weren’t going to catch me. I’ve had a brilliant experience.”