Punchestown Festival:Jim Dreaper successfully recaptured the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup after a 15-year gap as Notre Pere relished the muddy conditions to prove himself a legitimate opponent for Kauto Star and Denman.
Although testing ground is a must for the classy winner to excel, Dreaper harbours hopes of a Gold Cup success at Cheltenham next March, and Totesport were suitably impressed to quote the eight-year-old at just 10-1.
Irish layers Boylesports and Cashmans were less taken and offer 20s.
The Grade One-winning novice has flourished over the winter and the Welsh National hero had plenty of supporters as he attempted to go one better than when second in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup here.
Persistent rain through the morning turned the ground to soft bordering on heavy, and punters soon latched on to the mud-loving individual, sending him on his way as the 15-8 favourite.
Andrew Lynch had the market leader in the vanguard throughout and the pair started to put daylight between themselves and the rest of the field heading towards three from home.
There was no chance of Notre Pere faltering in the conditions and he galloped on to beat the rock-solid Schindlers Hunt by 13 lengths, with Scotsirish taking
third and Carl Llewellyn’s Roll Along faring best of the Brits in fourth.
Dreaper, who last won the race in 1994 with Merry Gale, said: “We will have to stop having these long gaps!
“The ground came right for him today and although it may not have helped the other guys, we had him bang on for this.
“I was very happy with him beforehand and he has done it really well.
“It didn’t suit us to go on when we did, but he wouldn’t have to do that in a Gold Cup.
“He would have a chance in a heavy-ground Gold Cup. He would run in the race on yielding but to have any chance of winning it would have to be soft.
“He is rated in the 160s whereas Kauto Star and Denman are in the 170s, but he is the best I have got and the best there is in Ireland.”
A crack at Denman and Kauto Star failed to materialise this season after a problem forced him out of the Gold Cup. And a trip to the vets now beckons to remove a piece of Welsh National birch lodged on the French-bred’s leg.
Dreaper added: “He got a piece of birch stuck in his leg at Chepstow and will be operated on next week to have it removed.
“His leg swelled up with it after Chepstow, and again on March 1 and the vet had to do an ultrasound to see what it was.
“It is 4mm long and just under his skin — but we will get it out this week.”
Schindlers Hunt had made the frame in both the Ryanair and Melling Chases, and excelled himself at his first attempt at a staying trip.
His trainer, Dessie Hughes, said of the runner-up: “I am delighted with him and we now know that he gets the trip well.”
Paul Nicholls, successful in the race for the last two years, saddled Gungadu to finish fifth and the mount of Barry Geraghty will remain in Ireland to start a new career with Grand National-winning trainer Gordon Elliott.