Paul Byrne finds another gem in Harbour Highway - and the Punchestown festival could be next

The bumper on this card has been won by subsequent top-level winners Farren Glory, Fiddlerontheroof and Invitation Only in the last decade and you sense Harbour Highway won't look out of place on the roll of honour in years to come as Paul Byrne seems to have stumbled upon yet another gem. 

A winner of a Bartlemy point for Michael Goff, Harbour Highway cost Byrne £90,000 but it looked like a shrewd piece of business after he fended off favourite Mywayofthinkin in the manner of a well-above-average recruit. 

Indeed, Emmet Mullins is even considering a crack at the Grade 1 Champion Bumper at the Punchestown festival next, such is the regard he holds him in. 

Mullins said: "He had shown plenty at home and Patrick [Mullins] had a sit on him on an away day. He was very keen to stick with him wherever he was going to run. He was impressive and galloped through the line, so hopefully he'll go on to bigger and better things.

"It's a few weeks to Punchestown and there is the winners' bumper there and maybe even the Champion Bumper he could go to. We'll see how he comes out of this first."

He added: "He was a nice purchase at the Cheltenham sale last year. I think a few people knocked him on the day for a wart on his eye but thankfully he was able to see where he was going today!"

He certainly was and Harbour Highway is most definitely a name to remember. 

Kennedy edges clear

A thrilling climax to the jump jockeys' championship is in the works on both sides of the Irish Sea as Jack Kennedy beat Paul Townend 2-1 on the day to edge five clear at the top of the Irish table. 

Kennedy moved on to 113 for the campaign and getting Hardwired up in the shadows of the post in the 2m1f handicap chase could prove a pivotal moment in the title race. 

It was much more straightforward in the opening 1m7½f maiden hurdle as 8-15 favourite Rainbow Trail made all the running to see off Well Dressed. 

Townend got among the winners in the 2m5½f novice hurdle and was impressed by Chapeau De Soleil. 

He said: "He quickened nicely on that ground, which is a hard thing to do today, and impressed me. We hadn't gone quick and had a couple of lengths to make up off the bend, but the thing was to get him to settle early. He jumped and raced more professionally."

Not for passing

The feature €60,000 Listed novice handicap chase final went the way of 7-1 shot Bushmans Pass following a ding-dong duel with favourite Ask Anything. 

Winning trainer Oliver McKiernan said: "It was a good battle. I love a good battle when I win it, but I wouldn't like to be second in a battle like that.

"If the ground was soft at Punchestown, there's a 3m6f race and he'd definitely go there. We're delighted with that. He's coming along, the handicapper wasn't easy on him early on."

Read more . . .

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