Thursday, February 19, 2004
MAJOR SPONSORS CONFIRMED FOR PUNCHESTOWN FESTIVAL 2004
The Irish National Hunt Festival, which will take place from April 27 to April 30, 2004, boasts record prize money of over 1.7 million euros, representing a 12% increase on the total 2003 prize fund, retaining its high-profile status as the highlight of the National Hunt season in Ireland.
Punchestown Racecourse is delighted to announce that BETDAQ, the betting exchange, is the new sponsor of the 150,000 euros two mile Champion Chase run on Tuesday, April 27th, the opening day of the Irish National Hunt Festival, replacing BMW. Ballymore Properties, owned by local businessman Sean Mulryan, has confirmed its support as title sponsor on Thursday, formerly I.A.W.S day, the feature race now being the Ballymore Properties Champion Stayer's Hurdle, which has increased in value to 125,000 euros.
Murphy Brewery Ireland continues its association with the feature race of the festival, The Punchestown Heineken Gold Cup of 180,000 euros, which was won by the French-trained, Irish-owned First Gold last year.
Emo Oil returns to sponsor Ireland's richest Grade 1 Hurdle, the Emo Oil Champion Hurdle of 160,000 euros, on the final day of the festival, Friday, April 30th. Quazar, trained by Jonjo O'Neill in the UK, captured this feature race at the 2003 Festival and it was just one of the races won by overseas visitors.
Among other races to benefit from the increased prize fund at the 2004 renewal is the Grade 1 Paddy Power Champion INH Flat Race, one of ten Grade 1 races to be run at the festival. This race will now be worth 60,000 euros, a 50% increase on last year's value and the most valuable Grade 1 bumper to be run in Ireland.
Dick O' Sullivan General Manager at Punchestown Racecourse commented today: "We are delighted to work and be associated with so many well established and successful companies and proud that they have chosen Punchestown Racecourse as a suitable medium to promote and create brand recognition for their company. With an increase in prize money of almost 200,000 euros, the Punchestown Festival prides itself in being the highlight of the National Hunt Season in Ireland. A special word of thanks to BMW for 23 wonderful years of sponsorship and to I.A.W.S for the support given to Punchestown which was above and beyond the scale of a normal sponsor".
O'Sullivan added that Punchestown will continue with its highly successful overseas runners programme, which was introduced last year bringing 47 foreign contenders to the 2003 Festival.
ZIRNA FLIES THE MACAU FLAG IN THE AL RASHIDIYA
Zirna, trained by Malcolm Thwaites and the mount of Mark du Plessis, has the credentials to take the Listed US$140,000 Al Rashidiya, sponsored by Shadwell Farm, on the sixth meeting of the Dubai International Racing Carnival at Nad Al Sheba on Saturday.
The five-year-old daughter of Deputy Governor, a leading filly in her native New Zealand before moving to Thwaites, has won her last four outings in Singapore and the 1,777 metres turf race here on Saturday will suit her.
She will however face some stiff competition including the Mike de Kock-trained Surveyor, who finished third, beaten just over two lengths, to D'Anjou in the Al Fahidi Fort (Gr.III) over 1,600 metres on the Nad Al Sheba turf. The Weichong Marwing-partnered gelding will have come on for that run and with the stable in form he is worth keeping an eye on.
Erwan Charpy and stable jockey Seb Sanders team up with Sign of the Wolf, who is making his debut in the Emirates, and was a winner of a Group III in France before running twice without success in America. The four-year-old son of Loup Solitaire will appreciate this trip.
Bahrain-based trainer Nicolas de Croutte runs Lodge Keeper who was finishing the best on his Dubai International Racing Carnival debut when beaten just under two lengths by the South African challenger Prince of War on the opening meeting of the Carnival on January 29th.
Right Approach, previously owned by The Queen, is having his first run for de Kock, his best run in England came when finishing second, following a disqualification, in the Queen Anne Stakes (Gr.I) behind Dubai Destination with Victory Moon in seventh.
Ted Durcan gets the ride on the Mick Channon-trained Checkit who comes into to this race with decent placed form in Group and Listed company in England.
Due to the popularity of the 2,400 metre turf handicap on Saturday it has been split into two divisions. The first is run as the US$100,000 Aljabr Stakes features five international contenders including trainer John Gosden's first runner of the Dubai International Racing Carnival, Rawyaan, the mount of Richard Hills.
Rawyaan, a son of Machiavellian, comes into this race on the back of a three length win in a Doncaster Handicap in September. Leading UAE jockey Richard Mullen partners the John Oxx-trained Mkuzi who was sixth over 2,000 metres on February 7th but will have stripped fitter for that run.
Allan Smith's stable are in flying form at the moment and a big run can be expected from the Brett Doyle-ridden Kayseri, a neck runner up over this course and distance on February 5th.
Classical Act, trained by Sadakshara Padmanabhan, will appreciate an outing on the turf and is much better than his ninth place finish on February 12th. Another who will also welcome the turf is the Clive Brittain-trained Santando, the mount of Eddie Ahern.
David Loder runs Shami who has been placed twice over this course and distance and is worth watching.
Zaajel, trained by Charpy, has a great chance in the second division of the 2,400 metres turf handicap, the US$100,000 Sahm Stud Stakes, following his course and distance win on February 5th.
Padmanabhan runs Zurbaran, Durcan up, who will have come on for his last outing just over a week ago. De Kock's Prince of War, a winner on the opening night of the Dubai International Racing Carnival, was runner-up over 2,000 metres on the turf two weeks ago. Mark Johnston is represented by Scott's View, placed behind Razkalla and Prince of War last time.
Brittain has booked Frankie Dettori to ride Dutch Gold, who was behind Victory Moon in the second round of the Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Challenge (Gr.II). The son of Lahib will be more suited by the turf and a drop in class from his last outing.
Elegance Champion, trained in Macau by Gary Moore, has done nothing wrong since his arrival in Dubai and should put in a good performance in the US$90,000 Erhaab Stud Stakes over the straight 1,000 metres on the dirt.
Elegance Champion, who has been placed in both his Nad Al Sheba starts, will face seven rivals here including international contenders, Peter Leyshan's Dantana, Brian Wiid's Magic Master, Nick Littmoden's Peruvian Chief and Stephen Leung's Energetic with Mullen in the saddle.
Last year's UAE 2,000 Guineas runner-up Western Diplomat, trained by Saeed bin Suroor and the mount of Dettori, returns to the track in the US$100,000 Nashwan Stakes over 1,500 metres on the turf.
Brittain's Membership, will prefer this trip and the surface as will the Geoff Woodruff-trained Ice Cube who is much better than his last two outings.
Dermot Weld's One More Round heads the second division of the 1,500 metre turf event, the US$100,000 Swain Stud Stakes. Smullen will partner the six-year-old, who was a solid runner-up to D'Anjou in the Al Fahidi Fort (Gr.III).
Jeremy Noseda's Wizard of Noz was runner-up on his Nad Al Sheba debut and was nearest at the finish. Bin Suroor runs Three Graces, a son of Peintre Celebre, who was second to Membership in England in October on his last run.
Mazin Al Kurdi runs four in the second race of the evening, the Shadayid Stud Stakes over 1,700 metres on the dirt, Prince of Denmark, the mount of Durcan, was disappointing last time out but he previous form is solid and he should not be discounted.
Big Easy and Al Anood line up in the opening race, the Bani Yas (Gr.II), sponsored by Shadwell Farm for Purebred Arabians over 1,200 metres on the turf.
For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink
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