Looking Back 69) Puntal

                            Puntal

Puntal was a 1996 born bay gelding by Bering and his dam was Saveur.  He ran in the famous white with red spots colours of owner Terry Neill, the same as those carried by the ill-fated Gloria Victis.  Puntal began his career on the flat in France but only had a couple runs before running over hurdles for trainer F Belmont.  He was placed six times without winning at Auteuil before being bought privately and coming over to England at the beginning of 2002.

He made his Pond House debut in the Sefton novices hurdle at Aintree in April 2002 and finished seventh of 15 runners at 33/1.  Dropped down in grade he won his first race over jumps at Southwell the following month.  He made all in a novice hurdle under A P McCoy and won very easily, being eased down towards the line.  He went on to win his next three starts as well all fairly comfortably, making it four wins in the month of May.  He won unchallenged at Hereford just five days later, was made to work a little bit harder at Worcester to win after this but then was an easy winner at Stratford on the 31^st May.  AP was on board each time.

In June he went back to France to contest a handicap hurdle at Auteuil.  Unfortunately things did not quite got to plan on this occasion as he was an early faller but he came back to England and continued his upward curve, winning his biggest race to date in July, the Summer hurdle at Market Rasen.  Off a mark of 135 he once again made all and drew clear from three out before being eased towards the finish. 

He then had a little break before returning to action at Ascot in December 2002.  He finished second in a Grade 2 novices hurdle before he was second again next time out in the Tolworth hurdle behind Thisthatandtother, beaten just over two lengths.  He had a crack at the Tote Gold Trophy at Newbury in February 2003 but was below form and finished down the field.  He bounced back to win at Kempton after this, winning the Dovecote novices hurdle by 11 lengths.  He was beginning to show that he would appreciate a step up in trip at this stage of his career but although he looked in trouble at stages during this race he showed courage and determination to win after being one of the first horses off the bridle.  He was stepped up in trip at the Cheltenham Festival in March and ran in the SunAlliance novices hurdle but was well behind winner Hardy Eustace and then disappointed again at Aintree after this.   

It was then time for a summer break before he returned for a novice chase campaign.  He was an impressive winner on his debut over fences at Cheltenham in October 2003.  He made all once again and won unchallenged.  He finished second at Chepstow on his next start over the larger obstacles before he got back to winning ways at Cheltenham in November.  He followed up this with another win at Newbury on his next start although this was only a two runner race!  He finished fourth in the Henry VIII novices chase at Sandown after this before winning back at Ascot in January 2004.

He unseated in the 2004 Arkle Chase which was won by stablemate Well Chief and he then ran in the Grand National in April after this.  Although sent off at 150/1 he was still travelling well when unseating jockey Danny Howard at the 19^th fence.  He went to Sandown on the final day of the National Hunt Season for the Betfred Gold Cup and was a brilliant winner in a thrilling finish.  He held on to beat Royal Auclair by a short head and record the biggest success of his career.

He found things tougher after he returned from a holiday in the autumn of 2004 but he was contesting all the good races.  He finished sixth behind Celestial Gold in the Hennessy, was unplaced at Cheltenham in December and unfortunately picked up an injury which meant he was not seen back on the racecourse again until he ran well in the 2006 Grand National after more than 400 days off the track.  He finished sixth behind winner Numbersixvalverde with Barry Geraghty on board.  He then finished midfield in the Betfred Gold Cup at Sandown.

He then went on his summer holidays once again to return in the autumn.  Things were tough once again but he was consistent in a lot of top races.  He was fifth in the 2006 King George and then second in the Connaught chase at Wincanton.  He was eighth in the 2007 Grand National before going out to grass once again.  He was then aimed at the Cross Country race at Cheltenham’s November meeting and although he ran a brilliant race to finish third you would have to say he was very unlucky not to have won.  Noel Fehily was on board and they took the wrong course after the fourth fence.  He continued well behind the field before staying on really well and only being beaten three lengths in the end by Spotthedifference. 

He was then off the track again for a year because of injury but returned to action in the  Cross Country race at Cheltenham in November 2008.  He was tenth this time around before finishing third at Newbury in a veterans chase and the final ever run of his career was in the Cross Country race at the 2009 Cheltenham Festival in which he pulled up.  He was retired after this race.

Puntal had a wonderful career but injuries as he got older meant he found things tougher and he was not the most consistent in his later years but he was still high class on his day.  He won 11 races from 51 career starts and he was placed 14 times as well.  Rated 147 at best he won over £286,000 in prize money.