Gaelic Warrior once again proved he belongs among this season's top staying chasers when he added the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup to his Cheltenham triumph, delivering another masterclass performance. The eight‑year‑old, trained by the renowned Willie Mullins stable, travelled with effortless ease from the start. As the 5/6 favourite, he settled comfortably before making a decisive move two fences out, prompted by jockey Paul Townend, and surged clear of the field. When Townend asked him to quicken the pace, Gaelic Warrior responded instantly, leaping the final obstacles without any sign of strain.
He then coasted to the finish line, winning by a staggering 26 lengths ahead of his stablemate Fact To File, who had been forced to race prominently and could not match his rival's finishing speed. The margin underscored the dominance of the Mullins horse and highlighted the quality gap on the day. Mullins was visibly thrilled after the race. "It was a massive performance," he said.
"My heart was in my mouth when Paul brought Fact To File alongside him in the final stages. I was wondering whether they would clash or what would happen. Both jockeys gave their mounts a free rein, and Gaelic Warrior simply had the measure of Fact To File. Over a shorter distance the result might have been different, but over this trip he was simply in a league of his own.
It was a spectacular race, and it takes two great horses to make it memorable. I’m grateful to JP McManus for allowing Fact To File to challenge him – it made the day unforgettable. Both riders rode exactly how they wanted, and there were no excuses for anyone." Mullins also reflected on Gaelic Warrior's demanding campaign.
"He started here in November, then went to Kempton for the King George, the Dublin Racing Festival, Cheltenham and now back to Punchestown. My philosophy is that if you have the horses and the sponsors are offering good money, you should take the opportunities. I try to run them as often as possible when the conditions suit." The two horses had already met twice this season.
Their first encounter was in the John Durkan at Punchestown, where Gaelic Warrior came out on top. Fact To File later exacted a measure of revenge in the Irish Gold Cup, setting up a compelling rivalry that could be revisited next season in the John Durkan, a race Mullins has earmarked for Gaelic Warrior's return. Owner Rich Ricci expressed his delight at the historic win. "We’ve never won this race before, so it was a special achievement.
JP was very sporting in running his horse, even if the ground didn’t suit him. I’m thrilled – I haven’t been at Punchestown since Ruby Walsh retired in 2019, and after a busy few years with Covid and other commitments, it feels wonderful to be here.
The people at the venue are fantastic, and I couldn’t be happier with the result." The meeting also featured other notable performances. In the Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle, Le Frimeur, trained by Harry Derham, maintained an unbeaten record by out‑finishing the well‑known Zanoosh.
Starting from 18/1, the horse surged ahead in the home stretch, beating the 11/4 favourite by six and a half lengths. Derham, who secured his first Grade One victory, said, "It’s a cliché, but I genuinely dream about training Grade One winners.
It’s unreal and makes everything easier when you have top‑class horses. Simon Munir grabbed me last year and promised to send me this horse. To have access to horses of this calibre is unbelievable. He had a minor setback in the autumn, but he improved all spring.
We never imagined how good he could be, and JJ said I’d done plenty wrong in the race, yet he still beat a quality field. It’s absolutely surreal." J.J. Slevin, the jockey, praised Derham’s ambition: "Harry is a young, very ambitious trainer, always moving upward.
It was a big shout for him to bring a horse like this to a Grade One. The facilities here are first‑rate – great schooling grounds and gallops – so credit to him for the achievement." In the Champion I.N.H. Flat Race, Josh Halford timed his ride perfectly on With Nolimit, who held off a late challenge from Festival hero The Mourne Rambler to win by a length and three‑quarters.
The five‑year‑old, trained by Gordon Elliott, had finished ninth in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham but proved his class on the flat. Elliott commented, "He ran well at Cheltenham, perhaps a little too keen. I may have given Harry Swan the wrong instructions, but we took our time today. All credit to Josh for a superb ride.
He works hard in the yard, is a lovely lad, and comes from good stock. He’s been with me for a couple of years, delivering several winners, and his patience paid off with this Grade One – they’re hard to come by." Elliott added that the victory matched his best season tally of twelve Grade One wins, and he hopes to add another before the week ends.
Henry de Bromhead’s Nouvotic, a seven‑year‑old trained by the acclaimed trainer, secured a comfortable win in the Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase, pulling clear three fences out under jockey Darragh O'Keeffe. De Bromhead praised the effort: "It’s wonderful to get a win for Roger Brookhouse, a great supporter of Punchestown who comes every year. This is our second victory here after Lets Go Champ.
I was amazed by the easy lead Darragh achieved – it was delightful." When asked about a potential run in the Galway Plate, de Bromhead said, "He could be a contender, though his rating might be a touch low. He was rated 130 there, so it may be a stretch, but he could target the Blazers or similar races. He loves this ground." Overall, Punchestown delivered a day of high‑quality racing, with Gaelic Warrior’s double cementing his status as the premier staying chaser of the season, while emerging talents and seasoned veterans alike added depth and excitement to the meeting.