Band Width, right, takes the honours from Angel Girl© Photo Healy Racing
Band Width (4/1) travelled supremely well over the mile in Punchestown before winning a battle with Angel Girl in the Punchestown Flat Is Back Handicap.
He raced in touch as Angel Girl led the field and moved strongly as he took closer order entering the straight.
Angel Girl attempted to assert racing to the final furlong but Band Width was having none of it as he tanked into contention and led passing the '1' pole.
He kept on best to beat the 12/1 runner-up by half a length. The Blue Panther was two and three quarter lengths back in third at 9/1.
His two previous victories came over an extended five furlongs in Sligo and this was a step up in trip after he finished runner-up over seven furlongs in Gowran Park on his last start.
Trainer Andrew Oliver said: “It's not too often I stand in the number one spot at Punchestown!
“Declan (McDonogh) gave him a great ride. The horse came out of the Gowran race well. He needed every yard of that, so we were fairly confident of getting the mile. He had won over six at Sligo.
“Things worked out well, Declan got a nice possy, travelled around really well and got there and actually won quite snug enough in the end.
“It all went to plan, I just left it to him. That's the way he decided to ride him and it worked out well.
“We have options now, he can certainly get the mile and can handle most ground but he doesn't want it really heavy. He got caught out in Galway on really heavy ground.
“I think he would handle Dundalk but there are a couple of months left in the season yet and hopefully that could get him into some nice handicaps.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
