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Punchestown 2024
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Mark Nunan
Dark Vega leads home Harrington 1-3
Dark Vega (right) wins under Nathan Crosse
© Photo Healy Racing
Dark Vega (22/1) came from well off the pace to land the Bill Hanlon Memorial Irish EBF Maiden on her first outing.
The half-sister to four winners was pushed along three furlongs out by Nathan Crosse and found plenty off the bridle to cut down the strong-travelling Boundless Ocean close home (10/3) and win by a neck.
The Lope De Vega filly’s better-fancied stablemate Paris Lights (3/1) was another length and a half away in third.
Winning trainer Jessica Harrington said: “She's a lovely filly, very relaxed, very calm and did it well. That'll probably be her for the year now.
“I'd say that was probably a very good maiden. I'm delighted with her and it's lovely to get a winner for Maurice (Regan).
“She's going to be a mile filly the way she finished that out. We'll look for something early on with an ease in the ground.
“She might end up a Guineas filly, you don't know, it's a long time between now and then.
“I'd say the other fella (Paris Lights) needs a mile plus now and he's going to be a mile-and-a-half horse next year. Shane said he's still very gormless and was looking around him. He'll be alright.”
Quotes from Gary Carson