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Punchestown 2024
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Michael Graham
Caravaggio gives O'Brien more Marble glory
Caravaggio, left, goes on from Mister Trader
© Photo Healy Racing
Aidan O'Brien has been very much the trainer to follow with nine wins in the last 17 runnings of the Listed Marble Hill Stakes and his Caravaggio impressed when asserting to land this year's contest.
Ryan Moore 's mount raced in touch as Mister Trader grabbed the rail and took the field along. Moore switched him out to challenge Mister Trader in the final furlong and the grey son of Scat Daddy hit the front in the closing stages to land the spoils by two and a quarter lengths.
He was popular with punters in the morning who snapped up the 11/10 and backed him down to 4/7f on the off.
Mister Trader came home second under Leigh Roche at 7/1 with Abiguity in third at 12/1. He was beaten six and a half lengths by the winner.
Aidan O'Brien said: "He's not a soft ground horse so I'm very happy with that. That's his first run on grass, and he will have learned a lot today. Ryan gave him a lovely ride.
"We'll have to decide which race to go for at Royal Ascot but I think he will get six furlongs."
Ryan Moore added: "I was very happy with him. A big baby of a horse, he did it very smoothly and I'm sure he can only improve and hopefully he has a nice future."
Caravaggio made it two from two after winning his maiden on the polytrack at Dundalk last month.
Paddy Power cut Caravaggio from 8/1 to 3/1 favourite for the Norfolk Stakes. Betfair also go 3/1 while BoyleSports and Ladbrokes make him a 4/1 chance. Paddy Power kept him unchanged at 7/1 for the Coventry Stakes while BoyleSports cut him from 10/1 to 5/1 and Ladbrokes have him 4/1 from 8s.
This gave O'Brien a double on the card as Brave Anna took the opening juvenile fillies' maiden.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee