An emotionally charged day at Punchestown Racecourse

It was an emotional day at Punchestown Racecourse today as Irish racing attempted to get back to some form of normality less than 24 hours after the funeral of jockey Michael O'Sullivan.

The Cork jockey passed away in the early hours of Sunday morning after a fall at Thurles on 6 February and huge crowds flocked to his native Lombardstown as he was laid to his eternal rest on Wednesday afternoon.

Before racing began at the Kildare track, an impeccably observed minute's silence involving jockeys, owners, trainers and spectators was held. 

Perhaps fittingly, the trainer who O'Sullivan enjoyed his greatest moment with, Barry Connell, had a winner on the day with William Munny and Connell said that the horse will now be aimed that Supreme Novices' Hurdle at next month's Cheltenham Festival. 

That was the race that O'Sullivan and Connell teamed up to win in 2023 with Marine Nationale and there wouldn't be a dry eye in the house if Connell managed to win the opening race of the Festival once again. 

O'Sullivan was also a regular rider in the Closutton yard for Wille Mullins and the Carlow trainer had three winners but it was a day when the action on track scarcely mattered as those in Irish racing still come to terms with the loss of such a popular figure.