Singing Banjo plays the field at Punchestown again!

By Dan Walsh at the Punchestown Festival

At 14 years old Singing Banjo (28/1) was the veteran in today’s renewal of Ireland’s longest steeplechase at four miles one furlong and 11 yards the La Touche Cup at the Punchestown Festival and he pulled off a memorable success for his rider Barry John Walsh, who was saddling his first winner since receiving a trainer’s licence.

Speaking afterwards, Barry who trains at Ballyday, Gorey, said; “He loves the ‘banks’ and we aim him for these races the whole time. The ground was just against us all season, we want good ground. He won on firm here when taking the Ladies Cup and La Touche in one week (April 2021). I was delighted to see it drying a bit here yesterday. He’s lightly raced, and we’ll see how he comes out of this. He’s declared for Saturday and we’ll see tomorrow how he is.”

A family horse in every sense of the word, Barry’s father John used to train point-to-pointers with a large degree of success over the years. Singing Banjo won his point-to-point at Tinahely in 2016, scored that memorable Punchestown Festival double in 2021 and in June of the same year he was a winner at Wexford races.