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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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![Michael Graham](/photos/michaelgraham1.jpg)
Michael Graham
Ameerat Jumaira leads home 1,3,4 for Halford and Collins in feature
Ameerat Jumaira, nearest, swoops to conquer
© Photo Healy Racing
Mick Halford and Tracey Collins fired three darts at the featured Red God Handicap in Dundalk and it was 18/1 shot Ameerat Jumaira who sprang a surprise.
Niall McCullagh 's mount conjured up a strong finish down the outer to mug Star Harbour close home.
Star Harbour (11/2) was beaten three-parts of a length into second and was half a length in front of Slieve Binnian (3/1) who also represented Halford and Collins.
Halford said: "She's a filly that did well for us last year and we felt she would be a stronger four-year-old.
"She had a good run starting off in Roscommon this year, I was delighted with her. Then we took her to Ballinrobe and she just didn't seem to handle it at all.
"I think she is better on a real level track going lefthanded.
"This prize was very good and I just said to the owners we would wait for that with her.
"She had won around Killarney before so I didn't know whether to run her here or step her up to 1m6f in Killarney. We just thought we would take our chance here.
"This is a very lucky race for us and it is a good indicator - if you have horses than handle here, you can always think there is more races there between the end of the turf season and Christmas. There's some nice pots as well. If you know that they like it (surface), it gives you another option.
"They ran their races (Slieve Binnian in third and Ridhaz in fourth) - Slieve Binnian loves it here, he is rock-solid. He might even step up to a mile and a-half. I'd say he is relaxing better.
"I think the three-year-old (Ridhaz) ran a good race and they probably just didn't go fast enough for him. The race all developed down the outside and he was sort of down the inside.
"I'll get another look at it, it is hard to watch the three of them!"
Halford won this race with Golden Twilight in 2022 and Sky Seven in 2020.
![](/photos/michaelgraham1.jpg)