O'Leary laps up the boos after worst horse he owns lands Grade 1

Michael O'Leary has never set out to play the role of Mr Nice Guy. While savouring another major Punchestown success he went one step further and almost became a pantomime villain, triggering the jeers and boos of racegoers after being rude about his now Grade 1 winner Champagne Classic. The Ryanair boss will have enjoyed that.

It was, of course, all light-hearted stuff. Indeed, when reacting to Champagne Classic's success in the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle, the Gigginstown House Stud tycoon was ridiculing himself on the basis that at Cheltenham last month he said something clearly ridiculous.

After the Gordon Elliott-trained six-year-old had won the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle, a somewhat shocked O'Leary described his victor as "a dud" and "probably the worst horse we own".

That worst horse in the huge Gigginstown battalion faced two other Cheltenham Festival champions in this €100,000 Punchestown prize and beat them both, repelling the challenge of Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle winner Penhill, trained by Elliott's championship rival Willie Mullins, with Pertemps Network Final winner Presenting Percy back in sixth.

Champagne Classic holds off Penhill to become a Grade 1 winnerCredit: Alan Crowhurst

"That wasn't bad for the worst horse I have," said O'Leary when interviewed across the public address. The public immediately addressed that comment with playful booing.

"I think I'll have to insult all my horses from now on," added the owner. "It seems to have a stimulating effect on them. Being nice to them doesn't appear to work."

Then, to underline his previous disregard of a horse who cost him €100,000 one year ago this week, O'Leary recalled: "I was drinking a cup of tea when he won the Martin Pipe. I didn't even watch the race. I watched this one."

Backers of Penhill who watched this one probably found it a frustrating experience.

Ruby Walsh rode a very patient race on the Flat recruit but still looked to have a clear chance of winning at the top of the straight. The combination thereafter proved unable to reel in Champagne Classic, although as owner Tony Bloom has recently seen his Brighton and Hove Albion promoted to the Premier League, he will likely have been able to cope with the disappointment.

"He ran a great race," was Willie Mullins' assessment of the performance. Elliott's take on Champagne Classic was that his future lies over fences.

"He's going to be a nice chaser," said Elliott. "He stays well and jumps well. He keeps trying and loves this better ground. His best two runs have been on that sort of ground, here and at Cheltenham."

Although Mullins took home plenty of place money, with Tin Soldier in third and Al Boum Photo in fifth complementing Penhill's second, this was a race that most helped Elliott's title bid.

"I'm delighted to make a contribution," said O'Leary, patting Elliott on the back.

He then gave the worst horse he owns a big kiss.

Result and analysis