Search
Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
- irishracing.com
- Punchestown
- News
- Double for Keane as Girl bounces back to form
Donal Murphy
Double for Keane as Girl bounces back to form
Law Girl (far right) sweeps through to lead under Colin Keane
© Photo Healy Racing
Law Girl bounced back to her best in the McEnery Cup Handicap, completing a double on the card for her rider Colin Keane (earlier successful on Giga White .
Successful at Listowel in June, the Willie Mullins trained daughter of Lawman failed to beat a rival on her last two starts at the Curragh and Galway respectively.
As big as 14/1 in early shows, she opened on-course at 10s, before going off a 9/1 chance in the colours of Rich and Susanna Ricci.
In rear early on, the bay victor was pushed along and made steady progress from early in the straight, getting to the front inside the final furlong, before going on to score by three parts of a length.
The ultra-consistent Dawn Hoofer (6/1) finished second under Kevin Manning for Jim Bolger, while Near Kettering (4/1) was a head back in third. Arthurian Fame was sent off the 7/2 favourite, and he finished fourth.
"Willie said the last day that she disappointed on the soft ground," said Keane.
"When I rode her in the Curragh the time before I probably made too much use of her and half sickened her.
"I rode her cold today and she loved coming through them, travelled everywhere and won well.
"In the last furlong I wasn't too sure as Kevin's filly is good and hardy and keeps pulling out but my filly would be a little bit classier I'd say."
Mullins added: "She won well. I think the difference was the ground and the track. There was a lot of rain before the race in Galway and the ground changed and didn't suit her.
"She wants this lively ground so we'll hope it stays dry.
"She'll stick to the Flat, I've no interest in going back over hurdles now. I'd imagine she'll go to the sales at the end of the season and we'll try and win what we can before now and then."
Additional reporting by Gary Carson