Notre Pere strikes gold

Ashbourne jockey Andrew Lynch landed the big race at Punchestown today when he steered the Jim Dreaper-trained Notre Pere to victory in the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup. Notre Pere justified favouritism and put in a superb display of jumping to gain ground at each fence. Lynch sent Notre Pere to the front five from home and won well. Notre Pere won the Troytown Chase at Navan last November and followed that up with victory in the Weslh National at Chepstow, but he missed Cheltenham. Notre Pere is now a 10/1 chance for next year's Cheltenham Gold Cup. Noel Meade's Afistfullofdollars refused three from home. The Champion Bumper was won by Dunguib which is owned by Liz Lawlor, a member of the Smith family from Rathmore, Athboy.