By Dan Walsh
The Walsh family from Ballyday, Gorey, had another big success to remember at today’s (Thursday) third day of the Punchestown Festival when Singing Banjo, winner of the Ladies Cup on Tuesday, added the prestigious La Touche Chase double.
The La Touche is Ireland’s longest race at four miles and two furlongs run over 36 fences of the Punchestown ‘Banks’ circuit.
Singing Banjo (33/1) was ridden by Barry Walsh and was the third winner of the week trained at Fairwood, Tinahely, for Philip Rothwell.
Speaking after the race Rothwell, whose Cousin Harry won the festival’s Tuesday opener, said: “It’s unbelievable but as I said before it’s a family success and it’s all about the Walsh family. Aaron, Barry’s brother, owns him and their father John trains him for all the point-to-points so this is just an honour for me.
“They have banks at home to school their horses and I’ve run them in the banks races for them for a number of years and we absolutely love it.’
The Ladies Cup success on Tuesday was over the shorter trip of three miles one furlong and Singing Banjo (14/1) was a first winner on the track for Barry who has seven career point-to-point winners to his credit.
Barry now has two winners on the track and what an historic pair it has turned out to be with Singing Banjo entering the racing history books in just three days.
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