RACING PUNCHESTOWN REPORTTWIST MAGIC'S victory in the featured Kerrygold Champion Chase was backed up by another Grade One success for Air Force One to provide a perfect start to Punchestown 2008 for the British raiding party yesterday.
In the circumstances, it was probably no bad thing for the home team that the third top-level race on the festival card, the VC Bet Champion Novice Hurdle, was a strictly local affair that saw Tony McCoy steer Jered to a comfortable win.
But, with four days of the festival to go, there could be a lot more pain in store as Paul Nicholls trains today's big-race favourite Neptune Collonges, and other big-hitters like Nicky Henderson have yet to unleash their firepower.
Eight wins in 1999 remains the best cross-sea tally at a Punchestown festival, but a previous best tally of five Grade One successes, in 2003 and 1998, might also come under threat judged by yesterday.
Those who figured 3 to 1 morning prices about Twist Magic were a rare gift from the bookmaking gods were eventually proved right, but it was a close-run thing as the eventual 6 to 4 favourite was all out to hold his stable companion Natal by a length and three-quarters.
It was a return to Grade One-winning form for Twist Magic, who was eclipsed by another Nicholls stablemate, Master Minded, in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham.
"The ground here has made all the difference. The ground was soft at Cheltenham and he had no chance. The tongue tie worked today too," said Nicholls.
"I was disappointed with the way he looked beforehand. We haven't got him back looking like he did last spring. I'm sure we can improve him next year," added Britain's champion trainer who could now aim the winner at Saturday's Celebration Chase at Sandown.
But a history of wind problems, the possibility of soft ground at Cheltenham again next year and Master Minded's presence resulted in Twist Magic remaining a general 16 to 1 shot for another shot at the Champion Chase.
Air Force One is 20 to 1 with Paddy Power for next year's Gold Cup after making all the running under Cork-born jockey Noel Fehily to land the Ellier Developments Champion Novice Chase from the favourite Pomme Tiepy.
"He will be up against it next year, and it will be a big step up against Kauto Star and Denman. But I think the world of this horse," said Lambourn trainer Charlie Mann. "I was gutted at Cheltenham, because when the SunAlliance was moved to the Thursday the ground had turned dead. It was a disaster," said Mann, who trains the winner for Silver Birch's owner, Brian Walsh.
"I keep hearing he needs to go right-handed but he actually keeps lugging left all the time," Mann added.
Noel Meade is also thinking of Cheltenham 2009 after Jered's easy victory which provoked quotes of as low as 14 to 1 for the Champion Hurdle. The favourite was much too strong for Salford City and the Cheltenham winner Fiveforthree and relished the quicker ground here.
"We always thought he was very good and it was probably a blessing in disguise he didn't go to Cheltenham because the ground would have been very testing for him," Meade said. "I hope he might go to the top next year. He looks to have the potential, and if he stays sound I hope he could."
Fiveforthree may make a quick reappearance in Friday's Land Rover Champion Novice Hurdle over two-and-a-half miles and Willie Mullins reported: "The ground probably beat him. It wasn't enough of a stamina test."
The Fisceal Beo and Al Eile colours of Michael Ryan were carried to victory over the banks by Wedger Pardy in the opener, and his trainer, Ted Walsh, said afterwards he could run again over the unique course on Saturday.
Meade may have edged ahead in the fight for the trainers title with Jered, but Mullins bounced back when the 14 to 1 shot Quiscover Fontaine, ridden by his nephew Emmett, landed the Land Rover Bumper.
Favourites won the first three races, but bookmakers got their own back and the day wound up with a 25 to 1 victory for the newcomer No Stopping Sarah.
