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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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- No place like Leopardstown for Famous Name
No place like Leopardstown for Famous Name
Famous Name duly made it nine wins at Leopardstown when the course specialist proved too good for his three rivals in the Group 3 Meld Stakes.
The 4/9 market leader was brought wide by Pat Smullen to pick off pace-setting Jan Vermeer and then fend off runner-up Dunboyne Express (7/2) by half a length.
Kris Weld, representing his father Dermot, said: “He’s just wonderful. He’ll go for the Bayerisches Zuchtrennen on Sunday week in Munich which is a Group 1.
“The ground has gone very soft but he likes it.”
Jockey Pat Smullen gave some insight into the tactical nature of the race. He said: “It was a hard race to ride with the other horse [Jan Vermeer] going so far in front given that he had so much ability.
“I didn’t want to give him too much rope, but I didn’t want to pull Declan’s horse [Dunboyne Express] into the race either.
“He did it well under his penalty. He has relaxed in his racing and is a very happy horse.”
The Bayerisches Zuchtrennen race in Germany is run over about one mile two furlongs and is for three-year-olds and older. Dermot Weld has long stated his wish to win a Group 1 with his illustrious six-year-old son of Dansili. Creekside beat Jan Vermeer for third by half a length.
Moran Gra and Blaze Brightly were non-runners from the original six declared to run.
Michael Graham