Punch wins Cambridgeshire on handicap debut

Andy Oliver's excellent season continued at the Curragh this afternoon as the Co Tyrone trainer saddled Punch Your Weight to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Irish Cambridgeshire under Chris Hayes (seventh winner of the week).

The 3yo son of Hawk Wing sprang a 14/1 surprise on his debut over seven furlongs at Cork earlier this month but was still sent off at 16/1 to win today on his handicap debut.

Having chased the leaders in the early stages he was ridden into third over a furlong out.

He hit the front and stayed on well inside the final furlong to win by a comfortable length and a half at the line from Bold Thady Quill in second at 12/1 for Ken Condon and Ross Coakley.

Top weight Sweet Lightning ran well to finish a further length and a half back in third under Ben Curtis for Tommy Carmody at 12/1 while Northern Rocked was half a length back in fourth for Leigh Roche and Dermot Weld at 16/1.

Tote Mile winner Vastonea was sent off the 5/1 favourite for Kevin Prendergast and Declan McDonogh but he could only finish a disappointing fourteenth.

Andy Oliver said afterwards: "I'm absolutely delighted. He is a horse that was very green on his debut at Cork and Gary Carroll gave him a lovely educational ride there and he kept on so well.

"I knew the step up in trip to a mile would be no problem and I thought he would sneak in at the bottom of the handicap and that we might as well give it a go. We knew he would handle the ground.

"Chris gave him a great ride. I told him to ride him as he finds him and if he got bumped or crowded to look after him. We were worried about his inexperience in a big field.

"Three furlongs out I thought he was in trouble as he had to bring him back and when he was riding him two and a half furlongs out I thought he was gone. But when he saw daylight he jumped back on the bridle and came home very well."

Followers of our new formscans feature will have been rewarded for their loyalty as the winner was tipped up by Michael Graham.

(On-course reporting by Gary Carson)