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Punchestown 2024
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- Berry bounces back with a Smile
Alan Magee
Berry bounces back with a Smile
Woodsophiesmile (near side) just gets up to beat Dynamite Dixie
© Photo Healy Racing
Woodsophiesmile twice a winner last year including at the Galway Festival, added to her tally when making a successful reappearance in the P G Duffy & Sons Citroen Handicap at the Curragh.
The four-year-old filly was overcoming an absence of over six months in this mile event and went off relatively unfancied at 9/1. Dynamite Dixie headed the market in this 12-runner affair having taken a Limerick maiden recently, and he looked set to follow up when striking the front inside the final furlong.
However, Fran Berry produced the Tony Martin-trained winner with a perfectly timed challenge to collar the 7/2 favourite in the closing strides.
A neck was the winning verdict at the line, with Odisseia holding every chance a further length back in third.
Berry was literally bouncing back here having been unseated from Gold Peregrine just after leaving stalls in the previous Tetrarch Stakes.
Shane Foley reported that his mount Alvar lost his action, and eased him right down from three furlongs out.