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Punchestown 2024
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Donal Murphy
American Girl impresses on her debut
American Girl and Seamie Heffernan pictured on their way to victory
© Photo Healy Racing
American Girl made an impressive winning debut in the Ladbrokes Mobile Fillies Maiden, scoring under Seamie Heffernan for Fethard based trainer Willie Browne.
The well-bred daughter of High Chaparral who runs in the colours of John Magnier (his first horse with Browne) was available at just 8/1 this morning, and she went from 12’s to 10’s on-course.
Settled towards the rear, the bay victor made progress early in the straight, and she was switched wide to challenge over a furlong from home.
She took over in front a furlong out, and she settled the contest in a matter of strides, showing a good turn of foot to win comfortably by four lengths. Circling who was sent off the 4/6 favourite, had to settle for second under Billy Lee for David Wachman, while newcomer Bint Dandy was a further four and a half lengths back in third under Colm O’Donoghue for Paul Deegan at 10/1.
Willie Browne said afterwards: "I'm an overnight success after forty years!
"I'm a breeder more than a trainer but Coolmore gave me a few to pre-train.
"She is a little bit quirky, she is a very well-bred filly and we knew she was nice, but we don’t have much to try her against.
"She looks quite decent and she will go for a Listed race or something."
The winner, who cost €80,000 as a 2-y-o at Arqana last May, is a half-sister to Lush Lashes who won three Group 1's in 2008 for Jim Bolger.
Additional reporting by Michael Graham