Search
Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
- irishracing.com
- Punchestown
- News
- Heuston delivers on debut promise
Donal Murphy
Heuston delivers on debut promise
Heuston & Ronan Whelan get the better of Live Dangerously
© Photo Healy Racing
Heuston delivered on the promise he showed on his debut, as he took the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden under Ronan Whelan for Reggie Roberts. The four-year-old son of Acclamation made his debut at Dundalk in December, going down by just a neck to Great Soprano. That race was over a mile and dropped back to six furlongs this afternoon, he was sent off the 2/1 joint favourite. Prominent in the early stages, he improved to lead two furlongs out and despite being strongly pressed inside the final furlong, he stayed on well close home to score by half a length. Live Dangerously finished in second under Chris Hayes for Andrew Oliver at 6/1, while Kiss The Stars was a further two and a half lengths back in third under Ian Brennan for Tom McCourt at 7/1. The Kevin Prendergast trained Tafkeer was the other joint favourite, but he could only manage a disappointing fifth under Chris Hayes. Ronan Whelan said afterwards: "He hit the front a furlong too soon. He’ll come on no end for that and it will be no bother stepping up a furlong or two. He is quirky but smart." Reggie Roberts added: "He was bit weak last year and he is still a bit green. Anything bred by the dam (On The Razz) has won (Common Charisma, Romance Of Steel and Paddy The Celeb being his relations in question)." Additional reporting by Michael Graham