Leading jockey Jack Kennedy reaches maiden ‘century’ of winners for first time

Jack Kennedy secured a first “century” of winners when successful on the Cheltenham cross-country hopeful Coko Beach at Punchestown on Monday.

The Kerry man reached 100 for the season in memorable style as Coko Beach dominated the SBK PP Hogan Memorial race over the famous banks’ course.

Kennedy remains on track to try and secure a first jockey’s championship when the season ends back at the Co Kildare course in May. His nearest rival Paul Townend is on 91 winners.

The pair also dominate betting to be the leading rider at next month’s Cheltenham festival where Coko Beach could prove a major player in the cross-country. The grey relished his first experience of bank racing so much he was cut to 3-1 for Cheltenham by one firm.

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“It’s great to get it and it was lovely to do it on something like that — it’s probably as much fun as I’ve ever had on a racehorse, to be honest,” said Kennedy.

“Gordon [Elliott] has brought him to a local cross-country track for about a year to sweeten him up a bit. He’s won some good pots in that time.

“He loved it and was looking for the next one all the time. I’m not sure who enjoyed it more, me or him!

“I won on Delta Work here before and have a 100 per cent record on the cross-country track. He’s obviously a high-class horse and it opens up more doors for him. I was stuck on 99 for a while and delighted to get it done,” he added.

Monday’s Punchestown action was also marked by a milestone moment for Willie Mullins as the champion trainer reached 200 winners for this season with the maiden winner Mercurey.

The odds-on favourite won under Danny Mullins and continued Mullins’s dominant form that saw him win nine of the 15 races at the Dublin Racing Festival over the weekend.

It is the fastest 200 winners recorded in Ireland, easily outstripping last year’s mark which Mullins achieved at the end of March. He wasted no time making it 201 with Linden Arden also winning at odds-on in the following race.

Mullins has been installed as an overwhelming 1/5 favourite to be the leading trainer at next month’s Cheltenham festival.

The Irish man needs six winners to reach a once scarcely imaginable century of victories at jump racing’s biggest meeting of the year.

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