Plenty of reasons to be cheerful at Punchestown

The National Hunt season drew to a close with the Punchestown Festival last week which saw Willie Mullins dominate the winners" enclosure. While Ruby Walsh partnered many of his successful runners, it was David Casey who brought home Navan businessman Eamon Duignan"s Barker in the Cathal Ryan Memorial Novice Chase on Thursday for the trainer. The Grade One two-mile event saw Barker take the lead four out and jumping the straight he held a healthy lead over Forpadydeplasterer, one of Barry Geraghty"s Cheltenham winners. When Geraghty"s mount went down on his nose two out, the advantage was with Duignan"s former Pierse Hurdle winner, which won by 15 lengths. The result was consolation for second place in the Easter Sunday Power Gold Cup at Fairyhouse. The previous day saw the Ashbourne combination of Jim Dreaper and Andrew Lynch take the Guinness Gold Cup with Welsh National winner Notre Pere, his first outing since taking second in the Hennessy two months previous. Notre Pere went off at 15/8, and went into the race as the highest rated chaser in the country, was a last minute withdrawal from last month"s Fairyhouse Grand National when conditions didn"t suit. Also on Wednesday, Robert Power and No One Tells Me were the 6/1 winners of the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle for Jessica Harrington and Keith Clarke won the Martinstown Handicap Hurdle on the Michael O"Hare-trained 25/1 shot Montana Slim. Nina Carberry followed up on her Cheltenham success with Garde Champetre in the La Touche Cup on Thursday. She took the Enda Bolger-trained and JP McManus-owned 10 year-old gelding ahead of Gordon Elliot"s Silver Birch before the last, and went on to a two-length win at 13/8. The Ratoath woman was in the winners" enclosure again on Saturday, with Bolger"s Freneys Well, at 5/1. In weekend action, local handler Pat Martin enjoyed success at Gowran Park with Kaitlins Joy in the Kilkenny Handicap at Gowran, with Jamie Heffernan on board at 6/1, while his near namesake Tony Martin was in the north west with All The Cousins, which came home at 4/1 in the Belfry Handicap Hurdle at Sligo for Kevin Power. Adrian Maguire sent out 5/4 favourite Monty Blue to take the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Opportunity Hurdle in Sligo, ridden by Shane Hassett, while Nina Carberry teamed up with Charlie Swan for success on Dear Sam in the bumper at Sligo on Sunday evening, at 4/1. Tara jockey Andrew Duff enjoyed success at the recent Meath Hunt Tara Harriers Point-to-Point at Rahinstown, Summerhill, when he partnered Philip Dempsey"s Be There in Five to victory in first division of the five-year old geldings maiden. A minute"s silence was observed before the race for Rahinstown owner, the late John Fowler, whose untimely death in a farm accident occurred last December. Rahinstown is also mourning employee Ivan McKay, who died suddenly last month. Meanwhile, there was bad news last week for the Dunsany Racing Syndicate and trainer Tony Martin when Royal County Star was disqualified from first place in the An Uaimh Steeplechase ran at Navan on 28th March, after failing a dope test. A report indicated that a prohibited substance was found. The matter was discussed and finalised at Punchestown last week, when evidence was heard from Tony Martin and the Turf Club veterinary officer. The trainer was fined €1,000 plus costs and Royal County Star was disqualified, with the race going to Glenfinn Captain instead. In pony racing, Dunshaughlin rider Daniel Benson recorded a five-timer at the opening meeting of the Midlands Horse and Pony Racing Association 2009 season in Athenry. The 15-year-old, who rides out for Ger Lyons, was successful on Wee Blade, Tailor, Smiling James, Nice and Easy and Wind Mill Lane. Other local riders enjoying success included Ross Coakley, Colm Keane, Megan Carberry and last year"s northern region champion, Keith Donoghue from Dunshaughlin, who won the ten-furlong race on You"re No Joke.