Two days after recording his first success on the track, the 2021 Punchestown Festival got even better for Barry Walsh and Singing Banjo as the pair reunited to land the La Touche Cup on Thursday.
Having beaten Vital Island by a length and a quarter to win the Ladies Cup on Tuesday evening, the 11-year-old was forced to carry a five-pound winners penalty but that did not prove to be a problem for the son of Generous in the marathon 4m 2f contest, a race which did not prove to be any less dramatic than Tuesday’s opening cross-country race of the week.
The 2019 winner Ballyboker Bridge came down on the flat before the midway point, a stage in the race which had already seen Alpha Des Obeaux, Call It Magic and Some Neck take the wrong course after the stone wall.
👏 Great camera angles from the difference of opinion in terms of what track to take at @punchestownrace pic.twitter.com/6xnCj6i0mu
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 29, 2021
The latter two were able to re-join the race but had lost all chance by this stage and it was on the run to the Old Double that the eventual winner moved through to the front.
The 33/1 chance took the field along through much of the final mile and he kept going gamely to beat Ladies Cup fifth Michael’s Pick and Timmy Love by three lengths, with Derek O’Connor completing a one-two-three for point-to-point regulars as he brought Stand Up And Fight home in third.
“It is a family success all about the Walsh family. Aaron, Barry’s brother, owns him, his father trains him for all the point-to-points and this is just an honour for me it’s all about Aaron, Barry, John and their whole family,” said trainer Philip Rothwell.
“They have banks at home and school them and I have ran them for a number of years and we absolutely love it.
“We have been second so many times to some of Enda’s it’s marvellous.
“Two years ago he picked up a nick, he got a little cut in behind and didn’t turn up in the La Touche but I always thought that he would be better over four miles than three and I was questioning whether he should have ran in the Ladies Cup or not.
“I have seen him run in the point-to-points with John and he looked slow, we ran him in a few hunter chases to have him as fit as we could for today and he was so outclassed by a lot of them at Fairyhouse, but out there he just latches onto the bridle and loves it.
“He is so small and nimble and fast over his fences, it is amazing he is very good at it.
Two days after winning the 3m Ladies Cup Singing Banjo strikes again in the 4m 2f La Touche Cup
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) April 29, 2021
Punchestown 4.15 result
1 Singing Banjo 33/1
2 Michael's Pick 80/1
3 Stand Up And Fight 13/8f
4 Major Destination 100/1
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