Punchestown Festival: Energumene beats Willie Mullins stablemate Chacun Pour Soi in Champion Chase thriller
Energumene (2/7 favourite) comes from behind at the final fence to beat stablemate Chacun Pour Soi in the William Hill Champion Chase at the Punchestown Festival; Willie Mullins finishes with 1-2-3-4 as Blue Lord and Gentleman De Mee chase home front pair
Tuesday 25 April 2023 19:06, UK
Energumene produced a dramatic late burst to deny old favourite Chacun Pour Soi a famous victory in the William Hill Champion Chase at the Punchestown Festival.
Trainer Willie Mullins, who looks set to dominate the end-of-season meeting in Ireland, sent out four of the five-runner field for the Grade One contest, with Cheltenham hero Energumene expected to make light work of his rivals as 2/7 favourite.
Things were clearly not quite going to plan for jockey Paul Townend, with Energumene surviving a number of errors at his fences.
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Long-time leader Magic Daze, the only non-Mullins representative in the field, gave way turning in, leaving the Closutton quartet - completed by Blue Lord (third) and Gentleman De Mee (fourth) - to battle it out.
Chacun Pour Soi, the veteran in the field at 11-years-old and winless since February 2022, battled on bravely under Danny Mullins and looked all set to punish a sluggish leap from Energumene at the final fence.
But, Energumene dug deep into his reserves and found enough to beat his valiant stablemate by three-quarters of a length.
Townend said: "He gave a few fences a fair belt, which is uncharacteristic of him really, but he showed how good of a horse he is by winning today because we know how good Chacun can be on home soil.
"He [Chacun Pour Soi] is a favourite of mine so when he got a better jump than me at the last, I thought: 'At least I'm getting beat by one of my favourites'. It was brilliant to see him bounce back to his best."
Feronily hands Mullins & Meyler their first Grade One title
It was a clean sweep of Mullins Grade One victories to start the Punchestown Festival, but it was not Willie's name in the winner's enclosure after the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase as nephew Emmet claimed his first top-level prize with Feronily.
Ridden by Donagh Meyler, who also bagged his first Grade One title, the 7/1 shot led the way, with favourite Journey With Me falling in the back straight.
Appreciate It - looking to give Paul Townend a Grade One treble on the card - emerged as the biggest threat between the final two fences, but Feronily was not for catching and stuck to his task gamely on the run-in to score by a length and
three-quarters.
James Du Berlais and Classic Getaway finished third and fourth, while Sir Gerhard was pulled up.
