Search
Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
- Home
- News
Donal Murphy
Coach eases to victory for Halford & Foley
Coach Bombay & Shane Foley are clear of the field as they approach the line
© Photo Healy Racing
The 6/4 favourite Coach Bombay ran out an easy seven and a half length winner of division one of the www.sardaireland.com handicap under Shane Foley.
Trained by Mick Halford, the 4yo son of Ad Valorem was unlucky on his last start over the course when finishing third after not getting the clearest of passages in the race won by Accompanist
Stepped up in trip by a furlong today, he came with his challenge a lot earlier and hit the front two furlongs out. He was ridden to assert with a furlong left to race and he went on from there to record an easy success.
The John McConnell trained Grainne Whale finished best of the rest back in second at 16/1 under Gary Carroll while Saratoga Baby was a further half a length back in third under Ronan Whelan for Peter Fahey at 11/2.
Winning trainer Mick Halford said afterwards: "He was very unlucky on his last two runs. He was entitled to win today.
"I didn’t think he would win by that far but I think it was more the lack of opposition.
"He drew the right division of that race. He wasn’t winning out of turn. He loves that surface and we will keep tipping away with him here."
(On-course reporting by Michael Graham)