PUNCHESTOWN, 25 April 2007, Good

5:15 Paddy Power Champion INH Flat Race (M & G) (Grade 1) (4-7yo) 2m

[off 5:15] £48,385.14, £14,195.95, £6,763.51, £2,304.05

1 Mick The Man Noel Meade 6 12-0 Miss N Carberry 10/1 — 134+

2 2 Woodbine Willie Philip Fenton 6 12-0 Mr K E Power 14/1 — 131

3 1¼ Shirley Casper Philip Fenton 6 11-9 Mr B T O´Connell 15/2 — 125

4 1¼ Cuchulains Son W P Mullins 5 11-13 Mr P W Mullins 33/1 — 128

5 nk Cork All Star Mrs John Harrington 5 11-13 Mr M Fahey 9/4F — 127

6 2 King Of The Titans B P Galvin 4 11-6 Mr R P McNamara 100/1 — 118

7 ½ Bootlegger Thomas Mullins 5 11-13 Mr R O´Sullivan 16/1 — 125

8 ½ Giant Eagle (USA) Thomas Foley 5 11-13 Miss A Foley 8/1 — 124

9 1 Sophocles (GB) James Leavy 4 11-6 Miss Pauline Ryan 13/2 — 116

10 1½ Rock Street Robert Tyner 6 12-0 Mr Derek O´Connor 20/1 — 123

11 3 Lady Bolino Michael Mulvany 4 11-1 Mr J T McNamara 50/1 — 107

12 1¼ Cooldine W P Mullins 5 11-13 Ms K Walsh 20/1 — 118

13 ¾ Tot O´Whiskey (GB) J M Jefferson 6 12-0 Mr O Williams 12/1 — 118

14 nk Drumderry W P Mullins 5 11-8 Mr J J Doyle 33/1 — 112

15 3 Caravino Eoin Griffin 4 11-6 Mr A T Duff 20/1 — 107

16 18 Lucky Heroine Miss S Collins 5 11-8 Mr J P O´Farrell 20/1 — 91

17 23 Azalea Noel Meade 5 11-8 Mr J P McKeown 25/1 — 68

18 19 Lucky Gun T J Taaffe 5 11-13 Mr J J Codd 100/1 — 54

19 2½ Castlekelly James Morrissey 7 12-0 Mr P Cashman 100/1 — 52

19 ran TIME 3m 43.20s (slow by 6.20s) TOTAL SP 130%

1st OWNER: James Grace BRED: James Grace TRAINER: Noel Meade

2nd OWNER: James J Gleeson

3rd OWNER: J P Dunne

TOTE WIN £7.60 PL £1.80, £3.00, £2.40, £5.80; Ex £117.70; CSF £132.26

Ireland's premier bumper has a mixed recent record of producing future stars but on paper this looked a better-than-average renewal given that its line-up included the first and second from the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham.

The winner that day, Cork All Star, was trying to become the first horse ever to complete the Cheltenham-Punchestown double, but he was unable to make history in a race dominated by horses who raced close to the pace.

MICK THE MAN has been called names in the past, perhaps not surprisingly given that he had finished second four times on the trot after making a winning racecourse debut. One of the reasons why he has been finishing second so regularly was easily evident here, as he raced with his head high in the air, lookinga difficult ride in the process.

However, his awkwardness was outdone by the brilliance of Nina Carberry, who gave Noel Meade's runner a superb ride, cajoling him into the lead using only hands and heels riding and not once resorting to the whip.

Meade reported that the six-year-old had suffered in the past through lack of pace in his races and added that his jumping at home was already "brilliant". However, it is hard to recommend him for the future just yet, as he does look a horse with issues inhis head. However, in his favour is that he will be partnered by Paul Carberry who, after his experiences on Harchibald and Iktitaf, excels on tricky customers.

Woodbine Willie ran a huge race to take second. A horse who had been campaigned in low-key contests before this, he had nevertheless got within half a length of Clopf 13 months ago, and he confirmed his ability here. Always prominent, he was sent into the lead turning for home and was unlucky to find the winner on a going day. He definitely has a future.

Shirley Casper did best of those coming here from Cheltenham. Having caught the eye last month, he once again put up a sterling effort despite racing wider than everything else.

One place further back came Cuchulains Son who,as his trainer predicted, confirmed his liking for good ground. He won't be a maiden for much longer.

Cork All Star faced a big task trying to do what even the likes of Montelado and Missed That had failed to do, but he did not run badly in his bid to follow up his Cheltenham success. What was disappointing was the way he raced, as he made his task so much harder by taking a strong hold through the first half of the race while sitting in third. He did mount a challenge early in the straight but that rather petered out as his earlier over-exuberance began to take its toll. He is better than he showed here, and is still probably the best long-term prospect in the field.

King Of The Titans, on a racecourse for only the second time, belied his huge starting price to secure an excellent sixth, finishing just in front of Bootlegger, who set out to make all and maintained his lead for a long way. He looks a nice sort of horse and one who should make further progress when he meets hurdles next season.

5:55 Kilbrew Recuperation & Nursing Care Independent Living Demense INH Flat Race (5-6yo) 2m

[off 5:56] £6,069.59, £1,414.19, £623.65, £360.14

1 Jered Noel Meade 5 11-13 Miss N Carberry 7/2 — —

2 ¾ Cuchulains Son W P Mullins 5 11-6 Mr P W Mullins(7) 3/1F — —

3 2 Cloone Rocket C F Swan 5 11-8 Mr L P Flynn(5) 5/1 — —

4 4½ Taipan´s Way W P Mullins 5 11-10 Ms K Walsh(3) 12/1 — —

5 5 Billy To Jack F Flood 5 11-10 Mr J P O´Farrell(3) 16/1 — —

6 ¾ The Real Cert Miss Clare Judith Macmahon 5 11-13 Mr Derek O´Connor 14/1 — —

7 hd Oscillating Oscar Henry De Bromhead 5 11-8 t Mr R P McNamara(5) 12/1 — —

8 1¼ Orinocco Blue Mrs Louise Parkhill 5 11-1 Mr P R Parkhill(7) 25/1 — —

9 nk Gortnahulla P M Quinlan 5 11-1 Miss D Quinlan(7) 33/1 — —

10 1 Mr Bones J G Coogan 5 11-8 Mr R P Quinlan(5) 33/1 — —

11 ¾ Rural Retreat (USA) P Cluskey 5 11-8 t Mr J P McKeown(5) 12/1 — —

12 2½ Front Man Ms Caroline Hutchinson 6 11-7 Mr A G Jordan(7) 25/1 — —

13 ½ Western Whisky (FR) Anthony Mullins 5 11-8 Mr J J Doyle(5) 12/1 — —

14 3 Glasslackens Lad Anthony John Black 5 11-8 Mr C Motherway(5) 25/1 — —

15 ½ Ten Fires (GER) D T Hughes 5 11-6 Mr B Connell(7) 16/1 — —

16 3 Kicking Bull C F Swan 5 11-6 Miss L C Williams(7) 20/1 — —

17 10 Longwood Lad P T Flavin 5 11-6 Mr B T O´Connell(7) 33/1 — —

18 ½ Bleumosee S Donohoe 5 11-8 Mr A T Duff(5) 16/1 — —

19 hd Cnoc Arda C A Murphy 5 11-8 Mr R O´Sullivan(5) 20/1 — —

20 3½ Here Comes Daragh John G Carr 6 11-2 Mr W J McLernon(7) 33/1 — —

21 20 Mrs Mia Wallace V P Donoghue 6 11-2 t Mr J A Fahey(7) 25/1 — —

22 17 Shoutag J Morrison 6 11-9 Mr P Tobin(5) 20/1 — —

23 dist Emmy Supreme Lady Jane Alexander 6 11-2 Mr J J Gault(7) 25/1 — —

23 ran TIME 3m 39.50s (slow by 6.50s) TOTAL SP 164%

NON RUNNERS: Adawaat ,Alderseed ,Chasing Cars ,Che Ching ,Foretto (GER)

1st OWNER: G McGrath BRED: Michael D McGrath TRAINER: Noel Meade

2nd OWNER: John J Brennan

3rd OWNER: Mrs Kathleen Gillane

TOTE WIN £3.50 PL £1.30, £1.60, £1.50, £2.90; Ex £11.30; CSF £16.32

JACKPOT @7,500.00. Pool of @20,000.00 - 2 winning units.

PLACEPOT @190.60. Pool of @19,572.50 - 77 winning units.

This witnessed a very taking debut performance from JERED, who is closely related to high-class jumper Strong Run and top-class bumper horse Leading Run. He travelled strongly throughout the race and was well positioned in a close third off the finalbend. He was switched off the rail to make his challenge inside the final quarter-mile and ran on well to take the measure of Cuchulains Son. Noel Meade reported the winner had only done ‘three or four bits' of work at home and that this was his first trip away. With this in mind, he can be expected to make substantial progress. It is possible that he could go to Punchestown and he is certainly a bright hurdling prospect for next season.

Cuchulains Son was going quite well when he took over in front early in the straight. He found plenty under pressure when pressed by the winner but just could not fend him off. He was unable to make his presence felt in a Leopardstown bumper in December but is clearly a different proposition on this ground and shouldn't have any trouble making his mark in a bumper.

Cloone Rocket, who had the runner-up behind him on his debut at Leopardstown, ran creditably on his first start for nearly three months. He has come up against some decent sorts on his first three starts and is good enough to win at this level.

Taipan's Way was another to leave his first run on heavy ground behind him and showed up well, having been up with the pace throughout.

Billy To Jack hadn't shown much in two runs over hurdles but they both came on testing ground and this different surface seemed to bring out the best in him.

The Real Cert came home well on his racecourse debut and looks like he could improve over a longer trip.

Oscillating Oscar has shown ability in the past and did so again here. He may want further to be seen at his best.