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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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- Review fairyhouse 2nd Apr
Review fairyhouse 2nd Apr
Foildubh (right) jumps the last ahead of Days Hotel
© Photo Healy Racing
< Foildubh gave Grand National backers of Chicago Grey a nice boost when smoothly landing the feature Normans Grove Chase at Fairyhouse.
The John Ryan-trained nine-year-old had finished second to Gordon Elliott's stayer on his previous run at Navan and was sent off a 7-4 chance to go one better in the extended two-mile contest.
Odds-on favourite Days Hotel went into the lead on the turn for home, but Paul Carberry had the move covered on Foildubh and was clearly going best before taking it up approaching the last to score by a length and three-quarters.
There was a major surprise in the Weatherbys Ireland GSB Hurdle when the outsider of four, 16-1 chance One Fine Day landed the Grade Three contest in commanding style to break her duck over obstacles.
The other three were in a line coming down the straight, but they had no answer when Robbie Power produced Jessie Harrington's filly with a surging run going to the final flight, and she beat favourite Djakadam by three and a quarter lengths.
Nicky Henderson does well on his forays to Ireland and Nadiya De La Vega put memories of her pulled-up run at the Cheltenham Festival well behind her with victory in the John & Chich Fowler Memorial EBF Mares Chase.
Tony McCoy was always up with the pace in the JP McManus colours and was already in charge when a good jump at the last sealed the issue in the Grade Three event, the 7-2 favourite going away to win by five and a half lengths.
Bryan Cooper produced the Dessie Hughes-trained Captain Arceus (12-1) with a strong run over the final two flights to nail Sizing Machine by a short head in a thrilling finish to the www.thetote.com Handicap Hurdle.
Tim Hyde's On Blueberry Hill (9-1) led on the turn into the straight under Kevin Power and kept on well to hold Some Hawk by a length and a half in the Tattersalls Ireland George Mernagh Memorial Sales Bumper.