Teahupoo victory puts Jack Kennedy on brink of first jockeys’ crown

To say that Kennedy is limping would be an understatement but the 25-year-old continues to fight through the pain barrier and Grade One victories like these make it all worthwhile.

Kennedy (123 winners), who will miss tomorrow’s finale as he serves a whip ban, pulled six clear of defending champion Paul Townend (117) as a result to put one hand on a first jockeys’ title – he is now 1/10 favourite to do so.

“It’s been a battle. The like of this keeps you going,” Kennedy grimaced. “It’s a help. You wouldn’t know with Paul, he could do anything. He has plenty of rides left so I won’t get ahead of myself.”

Kennedy has five rides left compared to Townend’s ten but the Kerry native is in pole position to finish the job and he took great satisfaction in bagging a famous double on Teahupoo.

Success for Gordon Elliott’s seven-year-old was the first time this century that the Cheltenham/Punchestown Stayers’ Hurdle brace was completed, as his star continues to soar in the three-mile hurdling division.

“He is really after stamping his authority on the staying division,” Kennedy said. “This lad is brilliant, you can go wherever you want on him. You can make a move and go forward on him without lighting him up or anything.”

There was a sad postscript to the race for Elliott, however, with three-time Cheltenham Festival winner Sire Du Berlais – dubbed the “horse of a lifetime” by the dejected Meath trainer – suffering a fatal injury on the flat.

It was otherwise a sparkling day for the Cullentra handler with a 1,009/1 treble as Carl Millar gave yet another illustration of his prowess in the saddle with a front-running masterclass on Maxxum (28/1) in the Listed Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle. There was also a surprise in the closing bumper as Wingmen (18/1) powered home under Harry Swan as the crack amateur, son of legendary rider Charlie, continued his stunning season.

It was a quiet day by Willie Mullins’ standards, with just one winner, but he still created another piece of history with Il Etait Temps (7/2) providing his record 35th Grade One success this season.

All eyes were on the brilliant Arkle winner Gaelic Warrior (1/3 favourite) but Townend was luckless throughout a frustrating day and it was obvious heading to the last that his stablemate would have the upper hand.

​Winning rider Danny Mullins hailed Il Etait Temps for being “all heart with a proper engine” as a third Grade One triumph of the season was secured by the teak-tough six-year-old grey.

“He’s been a great little horse for me over the years. He’s not the biggest in the world but by God he’s got heart and he battles when you need him and thankfully he’s delivered again,” Danny said.

“It’s what you want. You can have very good horses which don’t fulfil their potential but this fella, no matter what mileage is on the clock, he seems to keep turning up and it’s a great trait.”

As for the record-breaking achievements of his uncle Willie, Danny insists Team Closutton will keep striving for more as they stretch the boundaries.

“What can I say? It’s just unbelievable what he has achieved this year,” the winning jockey said. “It’s something that you couldn’t even dream about.

“They say dream outside of expectation but you couldn’t even dream of being as successful as he is and we’ll keep working hard behind the scenes and try to make it even better.”

Mullins Snr deflected praise to his team, as he always does, while he has sympathy with Townend’s plight.

“I go back all the time to the incredible team of owners that we have, owners and staff, and the horses come if you have both of those,” Mullins said.

“I was feeling sorry for Paul, Paul needs winners to get up to Jack Kennedy and that’s just not happening at the moment. Hopefully he’ll have a better day tomorrow.”

While it was being billed as a Mullins monopoly, 14 different trainers are on the board thus far and there were few better stories than La Touche Cup success for 14-year-old Singing Banjo (28/1).

His second La Touche Cup triumph was a first winner as a trainer for Barry Walsh on a special day for the Wexford handler as he also steered him to victory, as well being his owner.

This may be one of the biggest jumps festivals but trainers that concentrate their attention on the Flat also prospered, with Jessica Harrington and Noel Meade getting on the score sheet for the week.

Nico de Boinville made the trip to the Kildare track a worthwhile one when steering Pigeon House (16/1) to handicap hurdle success for Harrington, while Sam Ewing worked the oracle on Meade’s Pinkerton (15/2) in the Listed handicap chase in front of 18,289.

There was also another British success as Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Casa No Mento (4/1), ridden by the trainer’s son Sam, made no mistake in the Listed Close Brothers Mares Novice Hurdle.