Wonderwall is game in champion hunter chase

Image © Healy Racing

The Uniquely Champion Hunter Chase produced a thrilling finish with Wonderwall and Its On The Line treating a packed Punchestown racecourse to a repeat of their 2025 Cheltenham Foxhunters dual.

A neck had separated the pair on that occasion in favour of Wonderwall, and it was an exact reproduction of that result 13 months later, with Rob James’ mount getting the verdict by neck.

The ten-year-old has jumped to his right over several obstacles, including at the final fence when he bumped the favourite, which resulted in a stewards enquiry being called, however no alteration was ultimately made to the result.

Emmet Mullins’ game nine-year-old bounced back from his Aintree run to valiantly go down on his shield as his quest for a fourth successive victory in the most coveted hunter chase prize on these shores ultimately fell short.

The Naas and Thurles Hunter Chase victor, Panda Boy, stayed on gamely to finish a close third, with the lower order placings completed by the 2024 runner-up, Lifetime Ambition, in fourth, with the 125/1 shot Ambitious Fellow in fifth, whilst the progressive mare, Dora d’Or ran an eye-catching race for the future in sixth.

The narrow verdict of Wonderwall continues a season to remember for Sam Curling, with the Tipperary handler set to be crowned champion point-to-point handler for the first time in his career in the coming weeks.

“It’s brilliant, he is an unbelievable horse,” Curling told RTE TV. “It just didn’t happen for him in Cheltenham this year, but he came and won his point-to-point well. 

“He won well in Dromahane last time and Rob gave him a lovely ride there. He’s a funny old horse, he likes plenty of room and light. It probably suits him better here.

“He was great there again today. Its On The Line is a hard horse to beat, but he managed it. They are two brilliant horses and it’s great that they keep fighting it out and coming back.

“He loves nice ground, and he’ll probably go to Stratford now.”