‘An ounce of breeding is worth a ton of feeding’ is an old proverb that certainly rung through as 5-2 shot Cuil Rogue scored for Coolshamrock, Quin owner, Joe Leyden at Dromahane point-to-point last Sunday.

A full-brother to Cheltenham Gold Cup third, Turpin Green, Cuil Rogue is trained by Robert Tyner down in Kinsale and was ridden by champion jockey-elect, Derek O’Connor. The good-looking son of top sire Presenting fulfilled the promise of some of his earlier outings when running out a cosy winner of the second division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden at the popular north Cork track

Always towards the head of affairs, Cuil Rogue assumed command at the fourth last fence and, despite a spirited challenge from Ronnie O’Leary’s promising newcomer, Castletown over the final few fences, Cuil Rogue was not to be denied when running on best to score by two lengths.

A fine stamp of horse, Cuil Rogue has a bright future according to Tyner, who revealed, “We’ve always thought a lot of this fellow. He had a lovely run first time out and has really come together over the past few weeks. I’m delighted for his owner Joe Leyden, who bred him and his dam, Coolshamrock, won a point-to-point and produced Turpin Green.”

Looking to later in the year, Tyner continued, “We are going to let him off now for a summer’s grass and he’ll come back in the autumn to run on the racecourse. He is one we are looking forward to as we think he’ll progress from here.”

Cuil Rogue’s victory puts O’Connor on the 68-winner mark for the season and well on his way to an unprecedented 10th riders’ title in a row.

The Tubber pilot had been in action up north at Largy on Saturday afternoon where he rode two winners. His first visit to the winner’s enclosure at the Antrim venue came in the second section of the opening four-year-old race where he guided the Wilson Dennison-owned, Colin McKeever-trained 4-1 shot Straidnahanna to victory.

Sent to the front at the final fence, this grey son of Medaly needed all of award-winning O’Connor’s urgings to get him home with the line just coming in time as runner-up Tara More came back all guns blazing on the run-in, but the winner just held on to score by a rapidly diminishing neck.

O’Connor, who marries fiancé Carol O’Donnell from Crusheen next month, completed his double later in the afternoon aboard the Gordon Elliott-owned and trained Derg Princess (5-2) in the open lightweight.

A real good money-spinner, Derg Princess was always in command in this seven-runner contest with the daughter of Definite Article moving through to lead at the second last fence and running on powerfully from there to beat 6-4 favourite Carsonstown Boy by five lengths.

Saturday’s success was Derg Princess’ sixth victory of the season so far from seven starts, with her only blip coming when she fell at the last at Killaloe back in February when looking the likely winner.

 

Mullins dominates as Sacre thrills

Last week’s five-day Punchestown Festival was arguably the best ever held at the County Kildare venue, with so many ­highlights to look back on. However, a special mention must be made of the exploits of wonder-horse Sprinter Sacre on the opening day and the continued brilliance of champion trainer Willie Mullins.

When Nicky Henderson declared Sprinter Sacre a runner in the Boylesports.com Champion Chase on the opening afternoon, the PR people at Punchestown must have thought all their birthdays had come together.

The positive effect of having a superstar like Sprinter Sacre bid to make it a perfect 10 out of 10 over fences had crowds flocking to see the Caroline Mould-owned chaser in the flesh with a record first-day crowd of 18,607 turning up to cheer him on, before, during and after the race.

Like all good superstars, Barry Geragthy’s mount didn’t let the side down when turning in a ‘workmanlike’ performance to beat his old adversary Sizing Europe.

True, he wasn’t all that brilliant and Geraghty had to shake him up to exert his authority between the final two fences.

The winning verdict was a more realistic five and a half lengths, well shaved back from the 19-length margin which stood between the pair when they clashed in the Queen Mother at Cheltenham six weeks earlier. However, Sizing Europe is still a very good horse.

Bear in mind also that Sprinter Sacre went to Aintree and did the business there after his Cotswolds exertions, so to come to Punchestown and maintain is unbeaten tag over the larger obstacles at the tail end of such a star-studded season marks the seven-year-old out an exceptional talent.

“It was tougher today, but he was at his best at Cheltenham and wasn’t quite as sharp at Aintree and he was probably not as sharp today,” conceded Henderson.

“You had to have him peaked for Cheltenham, but then to come back and then come back again, It takes a very good horse to do that. You might think he’s getting easy races, but when you keep bringing them into these theatres it has to take a lot out of them. To do the three is very, very hard,” added the Lambourn handler.

When Willie Mullins went to first two days of Punchestown without a winner all sorts of rumours were circulating that his horses were under a cloud, but typical of the man he bounced back in the best possible fashion with a barrage of wins that saw him surpass his own record when taking his tally to 13 winners for the week.

Mullins sent out 12 winners in both 2009 and 2010 and many thought that could not be bettered, but Mullins has had his team in scintillating form all season long and one suspects the win of Sir Des Champs in the Punchestown Gold Cup will have given the Closutton handler the biggest thrill.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the one race Mullins yearns to win and he went very close this year as Sir Des Champs just failed when beaten by Bob’s Worth. His success in the Wednesday’s Gold Cup will have pleased his connections with Davy Russell giving the French-bred a terrific ride.

Russell, who was crowned champion jockey for the second year in a row when Punchestown brought the season to a close on Saturday, sent the Gigginstown House-owned seven-year-old past long-time leader Long Run three out and that move proved decisive as the 2-1 favourite stuck his neck out gamely to beat Long Run by three-parts of a length.

Victories for the magnificent Quevega (her fourth year in a row) under Ruby Walsh in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes World ­Hurdle on Thursday and a runaway success for reigning champion hurdler Hurricane Fly in Friday’s Rabobank Champion Hurdle made it a week to remember for Mullins, who is now quite simply in a league of his own in the training ranks in this country.