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Valseur Lido won the Growise Champion Novice Chase

Tuesday 28 April 2015 20:28, UK

Valseur Lido (r)
Image: Valseur Lido (r) hits the front under Ruby Walsh

Willie Mullins won the Growise Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown but with Valseur Lido rather than 4/9 fav Don Poli.

The six-year-old was a warm order having won the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival to stretch his unbeaten run over fences to four but he was the first beaten in the Grade One over three miles and a furlong.

Owners Gigginstown House Stud were responsible for two more in the five strong field and it was their Valseur Lido, who had finished third in the JLT Novices' Chase before disappointing at Fairyhouse, who took advantage of the favourite's demise to win impressively.

Stepped up to beyond three miles for the first time, Ruby Walsh's mount travelled sweetly throughout and picked up from the final fence to beat the front-running Wounded Warrior by two and a quarter lengths.

Sky Bet cut the winner to 20/1 from 33s for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, pushing Don Poli out to 6/1, and to 14/1 from 20s for the King George VI Chase at Kempton.

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The layers also cut the brilliant JLT winner Vautour to 4/1 from 5s for the Cheltenham showpiece.

  1. Tessa Quigley from Tyrone poses for a photo during Boylesports Champion Chase Day at Punchestown Racecourse, Co. Kilare, Ireland. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo.
    Image: Tessa Quigley from Tyrone poses for a photo at Punchestown
  2. (left-right) Grace Carroll, Linda Murphy, Darren Farrell and Carey Young from Dublin poses for a photo during Boylesports Champion Chase Day at Punchestown
    Image: Grace Carroll, Linda Murphy, Darren Farrell and Carey Young from Dublin enjoy a day at the races
  3. Runners clear the laurel hedge in The Kildare Hunt Club Fr Breen Memorial Steeple Chase
    Image: Runners clear the laurel hedge in The Kildare Hunt Club Fr Breen Memorial Steeple Chase
  4. Wish Ye Didnt
    Image: Wish Ye Didnt and Nina Carberry vie for the lead
  5. Wish Ye Didnt
    Image: But eventually come home clear of the field
  6. Douvan
    Image: Douvan clears the last to win the Herald Champion Novice Hurdle
  7. Douvan
    Image: By a comfortable seven and a half lengths
  8. Taoiseach Enda Kenny and jockey Niall Slippers Madden after Some Article won the Killashee Handicap Hurdle
    Image: Niall Madden gets a meeting with Taoiseach Enda Kenny and jockey after riding Some Article to win the Killashee Handicap Hurdle
  9. Stewards watch
    Image: Stewards watch the action
  10. Felix Yonger (R) clears the last to win The Boylesports Champion Steeplechase from Baily Green
    Image: Felix Yonger (R) clears the last to win The BoyleSports Champion Steeplechase from Baily Green
  11. Felix Yonger
    Image: But only after a titanic struggle
  12. Danny Mullins
    Image: He gets a hug from a delighted Danny Mullins
  13. Andrea & Graham Wylie
    Image: Taoiseach, Enda Kenny and sponsor John Boyle present the trophy to winning owners Andrea & Graham Wylie
  14. Taoiseach Enda Kenny poses with with Best Dressed Lady Kirsty Farrell (left) and former Miss World Rosanna Davidson
    Image: The Taoiseach then poses with Best Dressed Lady Kirsty Farrell (left) and former Miss World Rosanna Davidson
  15. Tony McCoy poses with the crowd
    Image: He may not be riding but he's still at the races and Tony McCoy gets a good reception
  16. Tony McCoy is presented with a hamper by Ruby Walsh
    Image: As well as a hamper presented by former weighing room colleagues
  17. Petit Mouchoir
    Image: Petit Mouchoir is an impressive winner of the Goffs Land Rover bumper
  18. Jamie Codd ridng Petit Mouchoir
    Image: To the delight of Jamie Codd
  19. Valseur Lido (r)
    Image: There's another for Gigginstown as Valseur Lido (r) takes Grade One honours under Ruby Walsh
  20. Valseur Lido
    Image: Pulling clear of Wounded Warrior
  21. Valseur Lido ridden by Ruby Walsh
    Image: "Look Ruby, I could have stretched my neck out this far if it had been close."
  22. Timing's Everything ridden by Jane Mangan
    Image: Timing's Everything and Jane Mangan land the finale

Mullins said: "It's nice to have a nice reserve and for a team like Gigginstown to have three runners in one race.

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"He probably just preferred that ground better than Don Poli. It was maybe too fast for him. I think Don Poli wants a longer trip. The Gold Cup is a fair long trip with the pace they go.

"This fellow (Valseur Lido) could go anywhere also. I've always thought he was a fair horse.

"He's not too bad on his day. He mightn't have the same constitution as Don Poli but he's a nice horse to have and for Gigginstown to have."

Owner Michael O'Leary added: "Valseur Lido was rubbish in Fairyhouse at Easter - he jumped like a dog and scoped badly. I thought he had no chance here today but Willie thought he would improve for a bit more distance.

"Don Poli was disappointing but Bryan (Cooper) said he never really gave him a feel and was just not 100 per cent. Wounded Warrior ran a very nice race.

"We are very pleased as we have three very nice chasers for next year. Hopefully, they will all summer well and take on their elders out of novice company next season.

"Don Poli is a good horse - he has won a couple of Grade Ones and won on the big day at Cheltenham which is the most important one as much as we love Punchestown.

"What we try to do each year is buy lots of horses who we think will make reasonable chasers in time and I would be very happy with the season all three of these have had."

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