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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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- Face provides Sarah O'Brien with first win as an owner
Donal Murphy
Face provides Sarah O'Brien with first win as an owner
Facethepuckout (nearest) gets up to beat Dandy Belle
© Photo Healy Racing
Facethepuckout provided Sarah O'Brien with her first success as an owner, as he took the Derek Ryan Live After Racing Nursery Handicap.
O'Brien combined with her brothers Joseph (trainer) and Donnacha (rider) for this win, with the victorious son of Excelebration sent off the 5/4 favourite.
Beaten by just a neck at the Galway Festival, the bay colt raced in second and appeared to jump a sand path over four furlongs out.
He soon joined the front-running Dandy Belle (7/2) from early in the straight, and needed to be ridden out inside the final furlong to see off that rival by half a length.
Sean Davis was aboard the runner-up for Richard O'Brien, while Silver Service was another two and a quarter lengths back in third.
"It's nice for Sarah as it's her first winner," the winning handler said.
"Donnacha gave him a nice ride and on his Galway run he was entitled to be thereabouts.
"He'd probably be okay going a mile as well. He'll go for another nursery and I think there is more progression to come from him."
Additional reporting by Gary Carson