Colreevy continued her rich vein of form as she ended her racing career with success at the highest level when winning the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase and upsetting the odds somewhat in the race that had been pitched as the great match between two star pointing graduates in Envoi Allen and Monkfish.
Having started her career point-to-pointing herself with Pat Doyle, who was responsible for other Cheltenham Festival winners this year in Appreciate It and Bob Olinger, the admirable eight-year-old posted a career best as she backed up her Cheltenham Festival success to beat the boys in emphatic style, with her stable companion Monkfish following her home in second.
Envoi Allen failed to bounce back from his early Cheltenham exit and was ultimately pulled up by Rachael Blackmore.
Colreevy’s success was a fifth on the day for the champion trainer after the Conor McNamara-ridden Jazzaway won the Killashee Handicap Hurdle and Jody Townend landed added another major race to her growing portfolio when steering Adamantly Chosen to win the Goffs Land Rover Bumper.
For Colreevy, the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase will prove to be the perfect way for her to bow out from racing as she will now be retired having been covered by star stallion Walk In The Park.
“That was a nice send-off,” confirmed Mullins. “Fabulous for the Flynn’s (owners/breeders) and for Danny as well.”
“On ratings, she was the best rated (with the seven-pounds mares’ allowance). Obviously Envoi Allen is not right. I think Monkfish, probably, didn’t run his true race and she did. She ran her true race and probably even ran a better race than Cheltenham.”
Danny Mullins was full of praise for his willing partner. He said: “She’s a tough mare. She was sticky early on but got into a nice rhythm and ran out a nice winner of a hot race.
“I said to Willie beforehand that I wanted to bounce out and flow and he said, ‘Yeah, just keep jumping and travelling away.’ And once she warmed into it, she was very good.
“I thought going down the back straight they were on my tail. I got a nice jump at the third last and once I was able to get up around the bend still with a little bit of petrol, I was happy enough it would take a fair one to beat me. But that said, I had Monkfish and Envoi Allen behind me. They were going to be coming at me.
“Fair play to her, she’s a proper mare.”
Colreevy pulls off a shock in the Novice Hurdle as just two of the four finished
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) April 27, 2021
Punchestown 6.30 result
1 Colreevy 7/1
2 Monkfish 10/11f#PTown21 pic.twitter.com/1V9e5hytN5
