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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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- Preview wexford 24th Aug
Preview wexford 24th Aug
Aidan O'Brien sends a decent team to Wexford on Friday, the most interesting of which could be Justification in the Gorey (QR) Race.
A close relative of Group 1 winners Opera House, Kayf Tara and Zee Zee Top, the Montjeu four-year-old has only made three appearances, the latest resulting in a Dundalk success last November.
In opposition are useful hurdlers Tornedo Shay and Saint Gervais, who should be able to expose any chinks in Justification's armour, fitness-wise.
O'Brien steps Hail back out of maiden company for the Pinnacle Handicap and he does so on the back of a career-best performance to fill the runner-up berth over this course and distance.
Similarly, his stable companion Lebron offered plenty of encouragement on his most recent outing, finishing second at Leopardstown, and he will be difficult to beat in the Follow Wexford Racecouse On Facebook Maiden, although Tony Martin's fair NH performer Nearest The Pin won't go down without a fight.
Martin launches two arrows at the Wexford Apprentice Handicap, of which the primary hope must be the Emmet McNamara-ridden Annie Go, who came within a half a length of breaking her Flat duck at Ballinrobe last time.
Hasten is the Ballydoyle representative in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden (4.40), but she will need to leave all known form behind to trouble consistent pair Faanan Aldaar and Precious Stone.
Hartside slaughtered his opponents in testing conditions at Tramore on Monday and makes a swift reappearance under a penalty in the Rosslare Handicap.
Annie Power has been given a little bit longer to recover from her debut success at the Galway Festival, but her starting price suggested she was expected to win as she did and Jim Bolger now pitches her in against a couple of other last-start scorers in the Enniscorthy Mares INH Flat Race.