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Punchestown 2024
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- Mater makes the breakthrough
Donal Murphy
Mater makes the breakthrough
Mater Matatu (inside) is ridden out by Kevin Manning to beat Scorched Earth
© Photo Healy Racing
Mater Matuta and Scorched Earth dominated in the Tote Free Race Day Tickets Maiden, with the Jim Bolger trained former eventually coming out on top.
Placed on three of her six previous starts, the successful daughter of Dawn Approach was as short as evens this morning, but went off the 2/1 second favourite under Kevin Manning.
The aforementioned Scorched Earth was the one for money, with this son of Zoffany returned the 15/8 favourite having opened at 9/4 on-course.
In a share of the lead throughout, Mater Matuta was ridden and gained the upper hand in the final 100 yards, going on to prevail by half a length in the colours of Godolphin.
Scorched Earth was second under Colin Keane for Ger Lyons, while the Tony Martin trained Dundory (7/1) was another three and a quarter lengths back in third.
"She's been knocking on the door against some good fillies," said Bolger's representative Ger Flynn.
"Kevin said by the way she stayed there that she could maybe go a mile and a quarter.
"The little bit of ease in the ground was a help."
STEWARDS REPORT
J.A. Heffernan, rider of La Capacite trained by S.J.Mahon, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount reared in stalls and didn't handle the track.
Additional reporting by Eamonn Murphy