Colreevy caps racing career with Punchestown glory

Mullins’ mare shocks big guns with all-the-way success.

Colreevy ended her racing career in a blaze of glory after upsetting big guns Monkfish and Envoi Allen with a superb front-running victory in the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown.

A clash between the Willie Mullins-trained Monkfish and Henry de Bromhead’s Envoi Allen was billed as one of the races of the season, with Monkfish protecting an unbeaten record over fences and Envoi Allen bidding to bounce back from his early fall at Cheltenham.

However, Monkfish’s stablemate Colreevy – winner of the inaugural Mares’ Chase in the Cotswolds last month – had other ideas under a well-judged ride from the trainer’s nephew, Danny Mullins.

The 7-1 shot raced enthusiastically and jumped with exuberance on the front end, with eventual runner-up Monkfish sat second under Paul Townend and Envoi Allen third in the hands of Rachael Blackmore.

However, Envoi Allen appeared to be in trouble some way from home before eventually being pulled up approaching the second-last fence, by which time Monkfish was also struggling to peg back the leader.

Colreevy was a little untidy at the final obstacle, but soon regathered her momentum and passed the post eight lengths clear.

The winner, who was recently covered by leading sire Walk In The Park, is now set for a well-earned retirement at the age of eight.

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