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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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- Review naas 28th Apr
Review naas 28th Apr
Guerre is driven out by Joseph O'Brien to beat Maarek (noseband) and Nocturnal Affair (green cap)
© Photo Healy Racing
Aidan O'Brien struck with a couple of exciting prospects at Naas as Guerre and War Envoy looked potential top-notchers.
Guerre only saw a racecourse twice during his juvenile campaign, but O'Brien wasn't afraid to pitch him in against seasoned sprinters on his return in the feature Woodlands Stakes.
Always prominent in the hands of Joseph O'Brien, the 11-4 market leader quickened well when asked to establish what turned out to be a winning advantage, with runner-up Maarek unable to get any closer than a length and a half at the line as he tried to repeat last year's success.
War Envoy was backed as if defeat was out of the question in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden and had no trouble justifying 1-3 favouritism.
The son of sire of the moment War Front & ndash; also the sire of Guerre - was settled in mid-division by O'Brien jnr, who eased him towards the outside to make his challenge and only had to give minimal encouragement for his mount to coast a length clear of Packing Go Go
Ballydoyle had three representatives in the Irish Stallion EBF Fillies Maiden, and O'Brien selected correctly in siding with Timbuktu but her late flourish was in vain as she failed to catch the more experienced 33-1 outsider Coto going down by half a length.< Doonard Prince s only previous turf success came over the course and distance of the English Comprehension Testing Apprentice Handicap, and he underlined his liking for the test with a length-and-a-half triumph as a 16-1 shot.< Gathering Power (9-1) was another who returned to the scene of her sole track-and-trip success, this time in the Live The Dream With Tote Handicap, but all the rage was team O'Brien's Masai
However, the 9-4 market leader enjoyed little luck in running, whereas Gathering Power had plenty of daylight and swooped to deny Seal Rock by a length and a quarter.< Intensical (12-1) did little of note on his comeback but bounced back to form with a clear-cut victory in the Tote Punchestown Preview At Naas Handicap.