Western Fold gave Gordon Elliott's trainers' championship bid a boost as he came out on top on the run-in to the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown.
Brown Advisory hero Kitzbuhel bowled along at the front in the Grade One affair, but faded at the business end with July Flower taking it up as they headed to the final fence.
Western Fold jumped much the better to land in the lead, with Fleur In The Park and Nowwhatdoyouthink also in the mix as the quartet battled it out and Kitzbuhel was pulled up.
But in the end it was the 18-1 Elliott runner that was much the stronger in the hands of Jack Kennedy, to land the €73,625 first prize by three and three-quarter lengths from Andrew Slattery's Fleur In The Park.
Western Fold (18/1), ridden by Jack Kennedy, trained by Gordon Elliott, takes the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 28, 2026
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Eachtotheirown made every yard to win the Grade One PRL Champion Novice Hurdle.
Sena Flanagan immediately sent the seven-year-old to the head of the field and the 16-1 shot never saw another rival as he galloped home by four and a quarter lengths from the staying-on Blake.
Favourite El Cairos was the first to lay down a challenge two flights out but could not keep pace with the Barry Connell inmate and was soon treading water, as Eachtotheirown saw off Blake and Le Labo on the level with the Gordon Elliott-trained El Cairos only fourth.
Eachtotheirown (16-1) is an all the way winner of the first Grade 1 of this year's Punchestown Festival, the PRL Champion Novice Hurdle.
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 28, 2026
Great ride from Sean Flanagan for Barry Connell.
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Martin Brassil's Abbeyglen (11-2) was an impressive winner of the Goffs Defender Bumper, finishing five and half lengths clear of Mullins’ Altesse Du LuY to take home the €59,000 winner’s purse.
Brassil said: "It was just lovely to get him here today and everything worked out. We were minding him as he is a big, leggy horse and he fulfilled what we were hoping. He shows a bit at home and we were happy to let him take his chance.
"He will get a break now as we want to let him mature a bit so he can withstand the rigours of jumping. He is a very exciting horse with a lovely pedigree."
Meanwhile, Brassil had an update on stable star Fastorslow, adding about the staying chaser: "He is on the easy list still, but hopefully we’ll see him in the autumn/winter. He will come back into training around the usual time, around July or August."
