The seven-year-old carries the Bowe family silks made famous by the hugely popular Limestone Lad, which won 35 races over the course of a fantastic career including three Morgiana Hurdles, three Hatton’s Grace Hurdles and a hat-trick of victories in this Grade Three contest between 2000 and 2002.
While Glen Kiln (4/1) has a long way to go to scale those lofty heights, Harry Kelly’s charge was second to Lossiemouth in the Morgiana at Punchestown in November and after making the running over the two miles he knuckled down well for Brian Hayes to see off hot favourite Karbau by a length.
Michael Bowe, whose father James trained Limestone Lad and also landed this race twice with superstar mare Solerina (2004 and 2006) and with Sweet Kiln, was emotional in the aftermath, saying: “I couldn’t talk and I couldn’t walk, all I could do was cry. You breed them and you rear them and bring them to this, I’m thrilled to bits.
“People kept saying you’ll never have another one like him (Limestone Lad), but this fella is coming near that, he’ll improve again and he’ll make some chaser.
“It doesn’t get any better than this. These days are hard to come by and when they do you want to enjoy them.”
Kelly added: “You couldn’t have written the script. It’s brilliant for Michael and John (Bowe). I’m just so delighted to have a horse like him and we think he’ll be a really good chaser next year.”
Love Sign d’Aunou is the new favourite for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper following a sparkling debut under rules.
Carrying the familiar colours of Rich and Susannah Ricci, the point-to-point winner was 5/1 favourite for the Aloga Equestrian (Pro/Am) Flat Race and galloped his rivals into submission from the front, coming home with 24 lengths in hand under Patrick Mullins.
Champion trainer Willie Mullins recorded a Naas hat-trick, headlined by impressive bumper winner Love Sign d’Aunou. Photo: PA.Wire
Love Sign d’Aunou was cut to 5/1 from 20s to provide Willie Mullins with a record-extending 15th Champion Bumper success at the Cheltenham Festival in March, with his rider saying afterwards: “He was very good, he doesn’t quite show that at home. I think he’s probably relentless and has a really high cruising speed.
“Jasmin De Vaux won this bumper before he won in Cheltenham (in 2024), but he’d be a very different type of horse to him. He’s a relentless galloper, a big strong horse. I’d imagine he’s a Cheltenham horse. He could be along the lines of Florida Pearl, those Cheltenham bumper horses.”
Love Sign d’Aunou’s victory was the middle leg of a treble for Mullins, with his nephew Danny steering French recruit Kai Lung (6/1) to success in the opening maiden hurdle, before Argento Boy (5/2 favourite) and Paul Townend struck Grade Three gold in the Finlay Ford At Naas Novice Chase.
Argento Boy is 40/1 for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase with Paddy Power, who also make him an 8/1 shot from 12/1 for the National Hunt Chase.
“He’ll probably be entered in all the chases at Cheltenham and I said to Paul the Irish Grand National might be a race for him, but we’ll see,” said Casey.
Another horse with Cheltenham Festival ambitions is the Tom Cooper-trained Shuttle Diplomacy (11/4) after he stamped his class on the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle. “He’s a proper one when he’s right,” said Cooper.
There was an impressive win for the Philip Dempsey-trained Matt Connor in the Albert Bartlett Series At Punchestown Festival 2026 Qualifier Handicap Hurdle, Keith Donoghue’s mount belying his 14/1 price with a comfortable success from runner-up Peaceinthevalley.