Irish Racing Coverage

(Pleased as Punch: AP wins at the Punchestown Festival)

Great Racing in Punchestown out of bounds for terrestrial viewers.

McCain and Jason Maguire are obviously the in form partnership at the moment, Maguire having secured 100 winners for the season and today showing he is on fire after claiming three more winners at Uttoxeter. The in form jockey cannot be ignored at present as he is dominating proceedings at courses like Uttoxeter


Meanwhile over in Ireland Tony McCoy's mount Captain Cee Bee after a disappointing outing at Cheltenham last month prevailed over other rivals in the Ryanair Novice Chase securing a 4 length victory ahead of Let Yourself Go guided by Paul Carberry. Drama in the race a few fences from home saw a pile up involving solid favourite Riverside Theatre and Barry Geraghty while the fancied Psycho went even earlier.


Willie Mullins picked up the winning trainer's trophy in the Ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle after much hype about Quevega early in the day. Partnered by P.Townsend the six year old went off 5/2 favourite and scored a 3 length success over Bensalem for Robert Thornton and Alan King. McCoy's ride Karabak started 4/1 second favourite but failed to meet the stamina requirements to see out the 3 three mile event and eventually finished 8th of 13.


Unfortunately though the thrills of the Punchestown Festival are kept quiet by British television. Attheraces channel covers the meeting but the festival is such a major event potential supporters of horse racing should be allowed to watch some races via terrestrial television.


It is difficult to attract new supporters and expect them to understand racing when huge chunks of it are made unavailable. The BBC and Channel 4 should be broadcasting from Punchestown even if it just to cover the main race of the day...maybe this is a time for ITV to get involved in horse racing and cover the major Irish meetings.

(In it to win it: Maybe ITV should consider covering some racing)