Racing - Punchestown Festival:Planet Of Sound was surprise 14-1 winner of the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup. Four horses were in with a chance at the last as Philip Hobbs' charge led Cooldine, War Of Attrition and the wayward Denman.
Richard Johnson kept Planet of Sound up to his work though and despite racing over the trip for the first time, he held on gamely from 20-1 chance War Of Attrition, who was having his final race before retirement.
Siegemaster took the field along in the early stages before Tony McCoy decided they were not going quick enough and pushed on the Paul Nicholls-trained Denman.
However, the questions about him going right-handed proved valid as the longer the race went on, the further out to the left Denman jumped.
At one stage McCoy looked to have lost all control and it is to his credit that he emerged back on the scene with a chance in the straight.
War of Attrition briefly looked as if he was going to sign off his fantastic career with another Grade One victory while Cooldine was also going well for Paul Townend.
Two lengths covered the four over the final fence, but it was Planet Of Sound who saw it out best, winning by two and a half lengths from War Of Attrition with Cooldine and Denman claiming minor honours.
Joncol was withdrawn at the 11th hour due to the unsuitable ground while J'y Vole fell on the second circuit.
Hobbs said: "I'm chuffed to bits. He's always been a very nice horse but he's stayed on very well today.
"That was his first time over three miles but he definitely got the trip no problem.
"He just made one mistake down the far side but apart from that, he jumped great. He's always looked very good but at Cheltenham (in the Ryanair) he choked so we put a tongue tie on him today.
"He's been the forgotten horse today and I couldn't believe what price he was."
War Of Attrition's owner Michael O'Leary said: "I'm delighted and that was fantastic. That is it now, we'll take him home in a week or two and there is no way he will run again.
"He'll go hunting during the winter and we'll keep him active. Apart from the birth of my kids, he has given me the best days of my life."
Willie Mullins said of Cooldine: "I'm delighted with the run. He's jumped fantastic and is coming right. It's lovely to see him finish sound and he'll go out to grass now."
Nicholls said of Denman: "Going right-handed used to be an issue, but we certainly didn't think he would run like that.
"It was obvious he was going left after three fences and the further he went, the worse he got.
"AP (McCoy) said he would have won a minute going the other way round, he has got to go left-handed these days, it is as pure and simple as that.
"He'll come back and probably run in the Hennessy in the autumn and we'll stick totally to left-handed tracks."
Earlier Mullins' bandwagon showed no sign of slowing down as he landed another winner as Sivota cruised home in the Martinstown Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle, the opening race of the day.
Fourth over two miles on his first run for Mullins at Fairyhouse, the six-year-old relished the step up in trip to add to the trainer's treble yesterday.
Sent off the 7-2 favourite, Emmet Mullins was always in the perfect position and took up the running from the pace-setting Casey Top turning into the straight before drawing clear for an effortless nine-length success.
Manhattan Boy ran on for second, Don't Stop Me Now was third and Casey Top faded to fourth.
Mullins said: "I'm delighted for Emmet to win that race. The drying ground was a big help and I'd imagine we'll pursue the handicap route now.
"We'll mix hurdling and running on the Flat and I'd imagine that Galway will be on the agenda."
However, Mullins had to play second fiddle in the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle as his Doctor Deejay and Final Approach finished second and third behind Gimli's Rock.
Henry de Bromhead's Kotkidy took the field along but suffered a crashing fall just as the race began in earnest, firing Andrew Lynch into the turf as well as bringing down Jerry's Agent.
That was Tom Treacy's cue to kick for home and Jessica Harrington's four-year-old shot clear to win at 10-1.
Mullins' pair gave chase but were four lengths away and the strong-travelling 5-2 favourite Son Amix finished only fourth.
Harrington said: "He struggled through the winter but never ran a bad race. We gave him a break and decided this race was the one.
"I won it last year with No One Tells Me and it would be nice if this one turns out as good.
"He may go back on the Flat and step up to a mile and a half and I wouldn't rule out him going to Galway too."
PUNCHESTOWN RESULTS
3.40 MARTINSTOWN OPPORTUNITY SERIES FINAL HANDICAP HURDLE
1 Sivota 7-2F
2 Manhattan Boy 25-1
3 Don't Stop Me Now 20-1
4 Casey Top 33-1
4.20 LOUIS FITZGERALD HOTEL HURDLE
1 Gimli's Rock 10-1
2 Doctor Deejay 7-1
3 Final Approach 9-2
4.55 MADRA IRISH DOG FOOD NOVICE HURDLE (GRADE 3)
1 Rigour Back Bob 6/1
2 Arabella Boy 5/1
3 Magnanimity 9/2
5.30 PUNCHESTOWN GUINNESS GOLD CUP (GRADE 1)
1 Planet Of Sound 14-1
2 War Of Attrition 20-1
3 Cooldine 9-2
6.05 PADDY POWER CHAMPION I.N.H. FLAT RACE (GRADE 1)
1 Hidden Universe 5-1
2 Oilily 33-1
3 Tornedo Shay 10-1
6.40 IRISH DAILY MIRROR HANDICAP CHASE (GRADE A)
1 Polmar 8-1
2 Hairy Molly 20-1
3 Sizing America 14-1
4 The Bosses Nephew 20-1
7.15 BRIAN PRICE MEMORIAL CHAMPION HUNTERS CHASE
1 On The Fringe 12-1
2 Kilty Storm 2-1F
3 Good Egg 40-1