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Willie Mullins has earned his first win of the Punchestown Festival after a fine run by Energumene and Paul Townend in the Champion Chase.
The 8-year-old battled stablemate, Patrick Mullins, onboard Chacun Pour Soi at the top of the pile for most of the eleven hurdles but broke away on the home turn.
It looked like Chacun Pour Soi held the advantage heading into the final jump, but Townend and Energumene kept composed and finished strongly to win by several lengths.
Mullins' won last year's race with Chacun Pour Soi but Energumene was the heavy favourite coming into today's featured race, priced at 4/7.
A first and second for Mullins was followed by a third-place finish for Henry de Bromhead with Rachael Blackmore on the saddle of Envoi Allen.
🥊 Chacun Pour Soi vs Energumene - The William Hill Champion Chase goes to Energumene
🏇 11 races
🥇 Nine wins
🏆 @punchestownrace Champion Chase
🏆 Champion Chase
👏 Five G1 successes
⭐️ Superstar@WillieMullinsNH | @PTownend | #PTown22 pic.twitter.com/wzidbNoxb7— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 26, 2022
🍿 A glorious drone shot highlighting Energumene stretching clear in the @punchestownrace @WilliamHill Champion Chase
Great to see a huge crowd at the track for the opening day of #PTown22 pic.twitter.com/BZdykSIz4n
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 26, 2022
Another de Bromhead horse, Captain Guinness, finished fourth with Andy Dufresne and Mark Walsh falling at the first fence, but thankfully they walked away in good stead.
It now means Energumene has won the Champion Chase double, following on from a win at the Queen Mother Champions Chase at Cheltenham last month.
In doing so, the horse has become the first since Sprinter Sacre in 2013 to complete the double. It's a fantastic achievement for Townend and Mullins.
Their Champions Chase victory followed some dominance from Gordon Elliott early on day one. Elliott won the first three of the races of the day.
Davy Russell and Party Central got the Cullentra House stable off to a flying start with a win in the Howden Insurance Brokers Mares Novice Hurdle.
Mighty Potter wins the Bective Stud Champion Novice Hurdle at #Punchestown for Gordon Elliott with favourite Sir Gerhard failing to fire. #RTEracing pic.twitter.com/UpSSS8h6Pn
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) April 26, 2022
Mighty Potter was the surprise package after that in the Bective Stud Champion Novice Hurdle, winning ahead of the likes of Sir Gerhard and Dysart Dynamo.
Jack Kennedy brought home the Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle in the third race of the day onboard Felix Desjy. Paul Townend was second on Far Out.
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