'It's why we love it so much' - full-siblings battle out Punchestown finish

Fully Charged and Alfa Mix took sibling rivalry to a whole new level at Punchestown on Sunday when fighting out the finish to the Ryans Cleaning Handicap Chase, with the former just getting the better of the family fisticuffs by a neck.

The full-brothers are the third and fourth foals out of Shade Oak Stud's homebred Alora Money, a daughter of Alflora who won over hurdles for Keith Reveley in 2009.

Fully Charged and Alfa Mix are by the late Fair Mix, who stood at Peter and Emma Hockenhull's Shropshire stud and is best known for the exploits of dual Cheltenham Festival hero Simonsig, while Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle runner-up Fagan and Dovecote Novices' Hurdle scorer Southfield Stone are others to have flown his flag.

Fully Charged, a seven-year-old grey, was sold by Shade Oak at the 2014 Tattersalls Ireland November Sale, where Carigeen Bloodstock paid €6,000 for him. Three years later he was a vendor buyback at €7,000 when offered by Rathkenty Stud at the Tattersalls Ireland August National Hunt Sale. He is trained by Henry de Bromhead for the Three Swallows Partnership.

Alfa Mix, a six-year-old bay, was sold by Shade Oak at the Tattersalls Ireland August National Hunt Sale in 2018, where he was bought by Harley Dunne for €5,000. He went through the ring again the following February at Tattersalls Cheltenham, where trainer Gavin Cromwell signed the docket at £42,000. He sports the silks of JP McManus.

Alora Money: winning hurdler and dam of Fully Charged and Alfa MixCredit: John Grossick

Just a year apart in age, although resoundingly different in looks, the two geldings have represented their breeder well, with five wins between them and more likely to be forthcoming.

Reflecting on the Punchestown 1-2, Peter Hockenhull said on Monday: "It's what National Hunt racing is all about and why we love it so much. It was really nice, they were both sold in Ireland, where I sell most of mine in order to give them a chance.

"I was told the mare wasn't much good, but bless her she's come right through. It's down to the mare really. Fair Mix was a reasonable stallion but one has to say he wasn't as successful as I'd have liked."

Now 18 years old, Alora Money is in foal to the exciting Shade Oak resident Dartmouth, and having produced two winners from as many runners to have made the track, it seems she has found her calling in life.

Hockenhull added: "She's back in foal to Dartmouth but she's getting on a bit. I actually hunted her for a bit, but that was almost disastrous, she wasn't the cleverest or the neatest at a fence, but perhaps she was always destined to be a broodmare."

Alfa Mix does hold an entry in Sunday's Ladbrokes Troytown Chase at Navan, and he would be interesting there if getting in, given it was a fair effort conceding his big brother 8lb at the weekend.

But who knows, compensation might even come against his sibling, seeing as they swim in the same pool and that precious little but colour appears to separate them.

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