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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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- Review fairyhouse 22nd Sep
Review fairyhouse 22nd Sep
Andrew Oliver's Theother Haaf (20-1) was given a superb ride by Joseph O'Brien to take the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Handicap at Fairyhouse, the second leg of a double on the card for the trainer.
O'Brien, son of trainer Aidan, kicked clear of the field a furlong out and, despite a resolute challenge by Positive Event had a neck in hand at the winning post.
"We're delighted with the win and Joseph gave the horse a super ride," said Oliver.
"He was in exactly the right position at all times and produced her at the right time.
"She stayed on very well and won easy enough in the end, so hopefully there's a bit more to come."
Oliver had earlier teamed up with Pat Smullen to score with red-hot favourite In Some Respect (4-9), who finally got off the mark in the Dunboyne Maiden having acquitted himself well in good company all year.
"He might run again this season. He's had a long, tough season so time will tell. We have a couple of entries for him the most likely race we'll go for is the Listed race in Dundalk," said the trainer.
Smullen also went on to notch a second winner as he guided Blue Ridge Lane (11-2) to success in the Oldcastle Rated Race for boss Dermot Weld.
"They went very fast early on, Pat gave him a good ride and they both came home very well. It great when it works out," said Weld.
Ger Lyons' 25-1 chance Berg Bahn surprisingly proved too good for her more fancied rivals in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden, while Indus Valley (12-1) scooped the Ashbourne Nursery Handicap for Kildare trainer Ken Condon.
Condon said: "We could have fancied him on his first two runs - the races have both worked out well.
"We will probably leave him off now and he'll be a nice, solid horse for next year."