Energumene edges out Chacun Pour Soi in Punchestown thriller

Chacun Pour Soi made his younger stablemate Energumene pull out all the stops in an exciting renewal of the William Hill Champion Chase at Punchestown.

Having successfully defended his crown in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham last month, Energumene was the 2-7 favourite to also make it back-to-back wins in this two-mile Grade One.

Chacun Pour Soi, who won the race in 2021, is now very much in the twilight of his career at the age of 11 and recent efforts over a variety of trips had suggested his best days were behind him.

But the veteran proved there is life in him yet with a spirited display before eventually giving best on the run-in.

Trainer Willie Mullins fielded four of the five runners in all and the race was his for the taking after Henry de Bromhead's front-running mare Magic Daze gave way long before the home turn.

Energumene, despite making a bad blunder four fences from home, travelled smoothly into the straight under Paul Townend, but so did Chacun Pour Soi in the hands of Danny Mullins and the older horse had poked his nose in front by the time both horses landed after jumping the final fence.

Energumene, though, dug deep when he needed to, getting up in the closing stages to prevail by three-quarters of a length.

Energumene just about held off the challenge of Chacun Pour Soi to win a dramatic William Hill Champion Chase Watch the Punchestown Festival live on @RTE2 & @RTEplayer: https://t.co/mqqqaOH4G9 #rteracing pic.twitter.com/MutedHsVGc

Mullins said: "He normally wins his races with class, but today he had to get down and fight it out. He answered every call from Paul and showed his grit.

"Paul really pulled that race out of the fire and that's the difference between a good jockey and a great