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Punchestown Gold Cup 2013
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racing news / Sir Des Champs Secures Punchestown Gold
24/04/13
1 Sir Des Champs 2/1F
2 Long Run 11/4
3 First Lieutenant 6/1
8 ran Distances: l, l, 13l
TIME 6m 52.80s (slow by 37.80s)
Sir Des Champs hung on grimly in a thrilling finish to the Bet Online With thetote.com Punchestown Gold Cup as Long Run and First Lieutenant came storming home.
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There was not much between Sir Des Champs and Long Run at First Lieutenant, a winner at Aintree, also had a chance but the 2-1 favourite Sir Des Champs held on by three-quarters of a length from Long Run, with First Lieutenant just behind in third.
Russell, who missed most of Cheltenham and all of Aintree, said: "I've missed enough Grade One winners and that's important to Gigginstown and for myself. You always want to ride in big races and I wasn't disappointed in him at Cheltenham, it was a great run until the last 100 yards and I was very impressed by the winner.
"I was impressed when I rode him in the week, he's tough physically but he's proved he's mentally tough. I was tipping him along and I was worried that Cheltenham might have taken its toll. I was struggling to move him up on the back straight but he completely filled up again and I had loads left over the last two."
Mullins said: "That was a great performance. I thought he looked big in the parade ring before the race and I thought we might have let him down too much after Cheltenham. I thought at the stone wall we were beat, but Davy got a breather into him and he was a different horse. Davy was very positive and he went for the race at the third-last.
"We'll be back to Cheltenham I hope, we might adjust a few little things next year. It was disappointing that the ground changed at Cheltenham but that's racing, he's won the two biggest races in Ireland and has had a good season."
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THE TOTE.COM PUNCHESTOWN GOLD CUP (GRADE 1)
€150,000 added, 5yo plus, 3m 1f, Class 1
8 ran
Going: Soft
| Place | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st |
8. Sir Des Champs (FR) b g Robin Des Champs (FR) - Liste En Tete (FR) 7, 11-10 |
W.P. Mullins | D.N. Russell | 2/1F |
| 2nd 3/4 Length |
5. Long Run (FR) b br g Cadoudal (FR) - Libertina (FR) (Cheek Piece) 8, 11-10 |
Nicky Henderson | S. Waley-Cohen | 11/4 |
| 3rd 1/2 Length |
3. First Lieutenant ch g Presenting (GB) - Fourstargale (Cheek Piece) 8, 11-10 |
M.F.Morris | B.J. Cooper | 6/1 |
| 4th 13 Lengths |
1. Captain Chris b g King's Theatre - Function Dream (T/S) 9, 11-10 |
Philip Hobbs | R. Johnson | 6/1 |
| 5th 13 Lengths |
6. Quito De La Roque (FR) b g Saint Des Saints (FR) - Moody Cloud (FR) (Cheek Piece) 9, 11-10 |
C.A.Murphy | P. Townend | 11/1 |
| 6th 6 Lengths |
7. Riverside Theatre (GB) b g King's Theatre - Disallowed 9, 11-10 |
Nicky Henderson | B.J. Geraghty | 10/1 |
| p.u. |
2. Chicago Grey gr g Luso (GB) - Carrigeen Acer (Cheek Piece. T/S) 10, 11-10 |
Gordon Elliott | D.J. Condon | 33/1 |
| p.u. |
4. Kauto Stone (FR) ch g With The Flow (USA) - Kauto Relka (FR) 7, 11-10 |
Paul Nicholls | R. Walsh | 14/1 |
