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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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- Review curragh 16th Jul
Review curragh 16th Jul
< Spirit Of Valor registered an all-the-way win in the Qatar Airways Minstrel Stakes as Aidan O'Brien plundered both Group Two prizes at the Curragh.
The 5-2 joint-favourite, who was touched off in the Jersey Stakes on his previous outing, was quickly into stride and Ryan Moore capitalised by sending him straight to the front.< Gordon Lord Byron and Dutch Connection tried to put pressure on him, but Spirit Of Valor had plenty left in the tank and powered home a length and three-quarters ahead of So Beloved who pipped Stormy Antarctic for second.
Spirit Of Valor's stablemate Elizabeth Browning was the lowest rated of the seven runners in the Kilboy Estate Stakes but landed the spoils thanks to a patient Seamie Heffernan ride.
Heffernan was content to watch on from the rear until switching the 12-1 chance to the outside at the top of the straight and she mowed down her rivals to beat Wilamina by a length and three-quarters.< Surrounding came out best in a three-way finish to the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap.
Michael Halford's 9-1 shot raced between Stormy Belle and New Terms with none of the trio giving an inch, but Shane Foley's mount had her head down where it mattered and pipped Stormy Belle by a neck.< Dawn Delivers was the standard-bearer heading into the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden and that's how it proved in the race itself, although the 4-7 favourite only held the promising debut run of Magical by half a length.< Zeftan took in the Killashee Handicap a day after running in the Ladies Derby here and he proved his durability with a determined neck defeat of Mandatario at odds of 9-2.
The Plusvital Speed Gene Nursery Handicap was the first of its kind to be run in Ireland this season and went to top-weight Golden Spell (11-4 favourite), while Kamili (7-2) took the Curragh 'Where Champions Are Made' Fillies Maiden.