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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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Review NAAS 23rd Jul
< Gan Amhras stepped up on his promising debut third just a week ago to win what could turn out to be a notable running of the Coolmore Hurricane Run Maiden.
Jim Bolger's son of Galileo was settled in second by Kevin Manning as Shakalaka set the pace, and the 6-4 shot took over the lead soon after turning into the straight.
No sooner had Gan Amhras gone on than he was tackled by the Ballydoyle newcomer Masterofthehorse - a full-brother to Classic heroine Alexandrova - but he held the 11-10 favourite's challenge and went away to score by three lengths.< Great Barrier Reef looked anything but a budding star after being sent off the 4-7 favourite for the six-furlong Naas Maiden.
Aidan O'Brien's colt had some smart form as a two-year-old but was a flop on his seasonal debut at Dundalk, and he never threatened to get into the race this time.
Johnny Murtagh's mount just stayed on steadily to take fourth place while up front, Pat Smullen brought First In Command (20-1) with a late challenge to catch Caherassdotcom in the shadow of the post to score by a neck for the Mark Loughnane stable.
Smullen made it a double half an hour later when newcomer Firey Red got the better of a duel with O'Brien's Born To Be King in the Yeomanstown and Morristown Lattin Studs EBF Maiden.
Born To Be King was up with the leaders all the way and showed ahead approaching the final furlong, but Smullen brought his filly with a smooth run down the outside to join issue.
The Dermot Weld-trained 9-2 shot led 75 yards out and just held the renewed challenge of Born To Be King by a head.< Youngborogal (6-5) barely broke sweat as she sauntered to victory in the ISS Recruitment Mares Maiden Hurdle.
Michael Fitzgerald's seven-year-old was sent on from the outset by Tommy Treacy, stepping in for the injured Davy Russell, and she stretched clear in the straight to coast home by 13 lengths.
There was a thrilling finish to the Donoghue Group Hurdle, in which Buchaill Dubh made a valiant attempt to make all but was just run out of it in a three-way p
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