3 minute read

More drama at Punchestown

Gordon Elliott enjoyed a welcome change of luck as Dortmund Park claimed victory in a dramatic renewal in the Profile Systems Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.

The Cullentra handler had seen his stable star Samcro fall three flights from home in the preceding Punchestown Champion Hurdle and with it his hopes of being crowned champion trainer.

He was doubly represented in this two-and-a-half-mile contest, with 11-4 joint-favourite Pallasator seemingly the stable’s number one hope, but it was 16-1 shot Dortmund Park who got the job done in the Grade One prize under Jack Kennedy.

The drama began jumping the second-last as the front-running Debuchet suffered a heavy fall, badly hampering Scarpeta and Getabird, both trained by the now 12-times champion Willie Mullins.

Dortmund Park was left in front and galloped all the way to the line to beat the Mullins-trained pair of Whiskey Sour and Burrows Saint into second and third place respectively.

Elliott said: “He was bought to be a good horse and looked very promising. We had to put a tongue tie on him.

“He’ll be a nice horse to go jumping fences next year.”

Kennedy said: “He got the ground and everything in his favour today and it all worked out well.

“He was left in front a long way out, but to be fair he did it well and kept going.”