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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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Review curragh 21st Aug
< Pathfork established himself as a leading candidate for next season's Classics with a superb victory in the Galileo EBF Futurity Stakes at the Curragh.
Jessie Harrington's juvenile looked a smart youngster in the making when winning on his debut over course and distance last month and he franked the impression in some style in this Group Two contest.
Never far off the pace, the 10-11 favourite was sent to the front two furlongs out by Fran Berry and had too much ammunition for the highly regarded Glor Na Mara whose challenge was held readily by a length and a half.
David Wachman's 4-6 favourite Meow showed blistering early pace to take them along in the Grangecon Stud Stakes, but the Queen Mary runner-up had to pull out the stops to hang on in the end.
She held a clear lead a furlong out in the Listed contest under Johnny Murtagh, but Ladie's Choice would not go away and made a real race of it, getting to within a neck at the line.< Rajik came into the Ballycullen Stakes off the back of a victory in a valuable Galway handicap and Charlie Swan's gelding took the step up to Listed level in his stride.< Drumfire moved up to tackle Roses For The Lady for the lead in the straight, but Declan McDonogh soon joined in on Rajik and the 10-1 shot swept past to win by three lengths, with Silverhand running on for second.< Whipless (11-2) stepped up on his Gowran debut fourth to take the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden in a photo-finish with the favourite Tashqeel
Kevin Manning had the lead for a long way on the Jim Bolger-trained colt, racing without company down the centre of the track, and held on by a short head when Tashqeel emerged from the main bunch to give chase.
Bolger and Manning completed a double when 15-8 favourite Banimpire showed admirable resolution to stave off the attentions of Ballybacka Lady by three-quarters of a length in the Loder EBF Fillies Race.