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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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Review navan 29th Apr
< Kissed looked every inch a potential Oaks filly as she dismissed the opposition in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Salsabil Stakes at Navan.
Aidan O'Brien's three-year-old, winner of her only start as a juvenile, was sent straight to the front by Joseph O'Brien and had her rivals struggling some way out without being required to do much in the testing conditions.
The three-parts sister to Epsom Derby hero Pour Moi, sent off the 2-5 favourite, had the race won halfway down the straight and had eight and a half lengths to spare from Aaraas at the line.
O'Brien junior repeated the trick on his father's Athens in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race, again leading all the way, though it wasn't quite as easy on this occasion.
The 4-6 favourite, who finished fourth in the Ballysax on his seasonal bow, knuckled down well approaching the furlong pole when tackled by Ursa Major and Azamata and saw them off comfortably enough by two lengths and more.
It was the same tactic for the O'Briens with Robin Hood in the navanracecourse.ie Race, but this time it didn't work as Dermot Weld's versatile mare Unaccompanied took the contest in some style in the hands of Pat Smullen.
With two Grade One hurdles in the bag as well as a Listed event on the Flat, Unaccompanied (9-10 favourite) was always going to be tough to beat and she swept into the lead over a furlong out before holding Rising Wind by a length and three-quarters.
Johnny Murtagh landed a double, teaming up with John Oxx's impressive newcomer Karatash (100-30) to take the Dunderry Maiden and clearing away on Ger Lyons' juvenile Watsdachances (15-8 favourite) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.
There was a brace for Wayne Lordan and Tommy Stack, too, with Atacx (9-10 favourite) being kept up to his work to land the Irish Racing Calendar Maiden and Equity Swap (9-2 favourite) forging clear in the Family Day Handicap.