Racing review: exciting Irish novices shine at Punchestown

We might have seen two Irish-trained 2022 Cheltenham Festival winners on Saturday. Step forward Bob Olinger, who remained unbeaten over fences with a mouthwatering display in the Kildare Novice Chase, and Dysart Dynamo, who continued to justify his lofty reputation in the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle. There have been more outlandish and far-fetched shouts, that’s for sure.

Bob Olinger produced one of the best performances at last year’s festival when he romped to a seven-and-a-half-length success in the Ballymore. He made Gaillard Du Mesnil and Bravemansgame look like ordinary novice hurdlers - they weren’t. But his chase debut earlier this season asked more questions than it answered.

However, those who doubted whether he would be as good over fences were proven wrong when he brushed aside the exciting Capodanno (put that name in your tracker!) under the tactically-superb Rachael Blackmore on Saturday. Ratings suggested it was a career-best effort and a subsequent cut to 2.02 for the Turner’s Novices Chase seems justified. Prepare yourself for ‘banker of the festival’ claims.

The novice hurdle division looked at the mercy of exciting recruits Jonbon and Constitution Hill - it was just a matter of which races they would run in. But Willie Mullins, who has won the Supreme six times and Ballymore four times since 2008, rarely fails to find an equine talent worthy of their place in the field.

Dysart Dynamo is undoubtedly the leading novice hurdler at Closutton and he proved that with a 19-length success in the Punchestown opener. A high cruising speed and accurate jumping makes a champion novice hurdler and this six-year-old son of Westerner boasts both attributes. Will he upset the British applecart? He’s now 5.3 for the Supreme and 7.6 for the Ballymore.

Five on the day for Henderson

Shishkin, Shishkin, Shishkin! Positive news that Nicky Henderson’s star chaser has been given the green light for the SBK-sponsored Clarence House Chase on January 22 dominated the headlines on Saturday and capped an excellent day for the reigning champion trainer.

A smooth-travelling success for Falco Blitz kicked off an across-the-card five-timer for Seven Barrows, with an overdue victory for Mister Fisher in the Grade 2 Silviniaco Conti Chase following soon after. The small field seemed to help the revitalised eight-year-old, although disappointing performances from Rouge Vif and Defi Du Seuil removed some gloss from the race.

Caribean Boy, whose most recent starts had been marred with jumping errors, found his stride under the brilliant James Bowen to justify market support. The 21-year-old jockey is now two-from-two on the talented grey. The ceiling is the limit for First Street, who drew clear of enigmatic stablemate Mengli Khan for Henderson’s fourth win on the Kempton card, before bumper debutant Luccia followed suit moments later at Warwick. 

January tends to be a strong month for Henderson, but he had been rather quiet prior to this red-letter Saturday. With a dry forecast ahead, you can expect his upturn in fortunes to continue.