RACING:JUST AS he had done at Cheltenham and Aintree, Nicky Henderson sprung into life on the final day of the Punchestown Festival on Saturday. The Seven Barrows handler had two winners on the Friday of Cheltenham, three winners on the final day at Liverpool and repeated that feat in Ireland.

Grandouet, Bellvano and Shakalakaboomboom combined for a 235 to 1 treble to follow up the victory of Kid Cassidy 24 hours earlier.

Grandouet (5 to 2) had been well fancied for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March but faded into third while he was still going well when brought down close home at Aintree but gained compensation in the AES Champion Four Year Old Hurdle.

“He deserved that for his consistency, honesty and above all his jumping,” Henderson said. “We always thought that Aintree was more his track than Cheltenham but he was brought down there.

“It can be tough for a four-year-old to run in three festivals but he always looked like he would win today. We have all summer to think of plans but Barry suggests going chasing. There’s a thing called Hurricane Fly to worry about if we stay hurdling.”

Bellvano had earlier bounced back to winning ways in the Madra Irish Dog Food Novice Chase. Racing over fences for only the second time, Geraghty faced a stiff challenge from Montan and Ruby Walsh and the pair jumped the last together. The 7 to 2 favourite dug deep, however, and prevailed by by a length and three-quarters with Philip Hobbs’ Keki Buku third. “We will go quietly with him and not go for anything fancy yet. He is a top-of-the-ground horse and Barry said that ground was as slow as he would need it,” said Henderson.

Shakalakaboomboom (14 to 1) was a thrilling winner of the Tulfarris Hotel And Golf Resort Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase. Despite a monumental error at the last, Geraghty galvanised his mount to win by the shortest of short heads.