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Punchestown 2024
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Gary Carson
Ablaze lights up during downpour
Connections of All Ablaze gather under a rainbow in the winners' enclosure
© Photo Healy Racing
All Ablaze produced a gutsy front-running victory in the nursery as Bellewstown was hit by a serious downpour.
Damian English 's charge led the field as they splashed through water in the five-furlong sprint.
The leader was tracked throughout by Samara Jazz and was tackled by that rival with less than two furlongs to run.
Rory Cleary got a good tune from his mount, however, who stuck on well inside the final furlong to score by half a length.
4/1 joint favourite More Questions finished best of all to nab second close home while the other market leader, Cloths Of Heaven was never involved in eighth.
The winner had been supported before racing from 14/1 into 7/1 but was easy to back on course (8/1 out to 10/1).
The top-weight had run well here in July, when third, but had been well held in two runs since.
"We were very disappointed with him at Naas (last time) but he had a snotty nose afterwards so we gave him three weeks off," explained English, who has just four in training at his Naul base.
"He was showing his old speed again. We said to Rory not to fight him or he wouldn't get home."
(On course reporting by Michael Graham)