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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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- O'Sullivan completes first double on Gibney's veteran
Mark Nunan
O'Sullivan completes first double on Gibney's veteran
Robin De Roost and James O'Sullivan (nearest) fly the last
© Photo Healy Racing
Tom Gibney’s horses continue to perform with great consistency and 3/1 favourite Robin De Roost was another winner for the Kells handler in the Virtual Live Racing Handicap Steeplechase (0-102).
James O’Sullivan, himself completing his first-ever double after taking the opener on Butterflyvespiere produced the 11-year-old to challenge at the last and he went away up the hill to beat Pat Coyne (11/1) by two lengths.
A dual winner over fences in 2017, Robin De Roost had a spell on the sidelines last year but has been kept busy since returning to action recently.
He picked up a couple of point-to-points in May before finishing second in a handicap chase at Punchestown on his previous outing.
O’Sullivan said: "He had a great run in Punchestown the last day and was probably unlucky to bump into one. It wasn't a fluke and he won a point-to-point there as well.
"The boys were confident coming up and they just said to keep him out wide on the ground that hadn't been chopped up. It proved key.
"I walked the track before and there just seemed to be more water down the rail, so I just said to keep out on the better stuff.
"I was trying to hold on to him down to the last and, when he got there, he pricked his ears and he did it nicely.”
Quotes from Michael Graham