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Punchestown 2024
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Michael Graham
Aoibhe's Beau readily puts them away at 66/1
Aoibhe's Beau puts in a good jump at the last
© Photo Healy Racing
Terence O'Brien supplied the favourite, Magnor Glory and the 66/1 outsider of the field, Aoibhe's Beau for the Tipperary Town Handicap Hurdle and it was the latter who served up the upset by 12 lengths.
This was her second track success having landed a point-to-point at Tramore in October 2018.
Paddy O'Hanlon sent her on past Rock Chica approaching two out as 10/3f Magnor Glory was ridden and wilted in fourth.
Aoibhe's Beau was full of running as she was ridden to assert before the last. Once she popped it, the race was over and she came home well clear.
O'Brien said: "That was a surprise as I went to Down Royal with her three weeks ago and she was beaten after two hurdles. It was a long trip home and I had a bit of explaining to do as well!
"She had won a schooling race three weeks previously and, in fairness to the owner, he had been there - only for that he mightn't have believed me!
"She stopped one day in Kilbeggan when her heart was irregular and I'm wondering does it happen when she travels a distance from home. The way she works you'd expect her to do this but you couldn't fancy her.
"Only for the owner, James O'Connor, I wouldn't have run her on the heavy ground - James trained Ballyhale Shamrocks to win the Club Championship last year and he trained Carrigtwohill to win the county ten years ago and that's how I got to know him. He's a Lismore man and this is his first horse with me."
He added: "Magnor Glory was very disappointing (in fifth) and he (jockey, Mikey Hamill) said he hung badly and that he was going nowhere from a good bit out - he had a bit of stifle trouble so maybe that's at him again."
Additional reporting by Tom Weekes