Neptune Collonges completes emphatic Gold Cup double

PUNCHESTOWN REPORT:THE RUBY Walsh-Paul Nicholls big race steamroller duly ran over yesterday's Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestown when the odds-on favourite Neptune Collonges won the festival feature for the second year in a row.

A lot of sentiment might have centred on Beef Or Salmon as the gallant old stager struggled home in sixth in his very last race but there was a sure-footed remorselessness to Neptune Collonges that never threatened to allow any fairytale local result.

After taking it up six fences from home, the English raider stretched his eight opponents to breaking point and the Grand National third Snowy Morning was seven lengths off the winner at the line with Mossbank back in third.

Coming on the back of Tuesday's victory by Twist Magic, it completed a Grade One double for Nicholls whose only other festival runner, Natal, finished second to Twist Magic.

"That's us finished for the week - no more runners," said Nicholls who with Walsh has farmed most of the major steeplechase prizes around this season. "This has been his target all season. The track and the ground are made for him and we knew from Cheltenham he is a better horse this year."

It almost sounded matter-of-fact which only further emphasises the remarkable strength in depth available to Nicholls and Walsh. Despite yesterday's success, Neptune Collonges is still as high as 20 to 1 behind his stable companions, Denman and Kauto Star, for next year's Cheltenham Gold Cup. That's something Nicholls wouldn't argue with.

"He was only seven lengths off Denman last month which is not far but around Cheltenham he is up against it trying to beat him," he said. "He is improving however. He was eighth in the Gold Cup last year, third this year and he's only seven. We will have to sit down and decide where they all go next season. Some could come over to Ireland and the race at Down Royal in the Autumn might suit this fellah," Nicholls added.

Walsh's big race win, along with a later victory on Freds Benefit, increased his lead in the jockeys table over Davy Russell to seven but thoughts of declaring victory in the title race were far from the champion's mind. "I'd prefer to be a few ahead than a few behind but you never know in this game. A lot can happen," said Walsh. Kicking King was pulled up in this race and afterwards scoped dirty.

There were no such problems for Cousin Vinny who became the first to complete the Cheltenham-Punchestown Champion Bumper double with a spectacular 10-length win under the champion amateur elect, Patrick Mullins.

"He looks a proper racehorse. He has speed, he stays and when we've schooled him he makes a lovely shape over a hurdle. Florida Pearl didn't come here after Cheltenham but that was a helluva performance," said Willie Mullins.

Bookmakers reacted by making Cousin Vinny a 10 to 1 shot for next year's Supreme Hurdle at Cheltenham, not surprising since the only wrong step he took yesterday came in the parade ring when a piece of tack came loose.

"He was acting the maggot so I took him back to a saddling box and he was calm as anything again!" smiled Mullins.

Patrick Mullins picked up a two- day ban for careless riding on Cousin Vinny. He said afterwards: "My horse didn't travel quite as well as at Cheltenham but picked up really well in the straight."

Along with Snowy Morning's runner-up placing in the Gold Cup, and Freds Benefit's later success in the novice chase, Cousin Vinny's victory looks to have given Mullins Snr a decisive edge over his rival Noel Meade in the race for the trainers championship and he now leads by over €182,000.

Davy Russell had a winner courtesy of the ex-French runner Solwhit who was four lengths too good for the favourite Silverhand in the four-year-old hurdle. Arthur Moore and his nephew, Philip Carberry, combined for a win in the handicap chase as Notable D'Estruval pounced late on to beat Bishops Bridge and Justpourit while a gamble on Northern Alliance in the opener was foiled by the 14-1 shot Here Comes Sally.